BFF Missing Scenes (Vacations)
by Faberrittana99-03
Summary: Just like Summer & School, this is missing scenes from BFF for vacations for our girls! Christmas, Thanksgiving, Spring Break, and other major holidays. This story is now over. A big thanks to all my followers, favoriters, readers and reviewers!
1. Christmas Time! pt 1

**Hey, guys! This is the second installment to FitS! This story will include all kinds of vacation time for our girls. I know it seems scattered, but it's more organized for me this way.**

 **Vacations:**

 **1\. Christmas**

 **2\. Spring Break**

 **3\. Thanksgiving**

 **This is probably the most important chapter of them all. Emily and JJ have known each for five months, and this will be the first Christmas the girls spend together.**

* * *

 **Emily: 10 years old.**

 **JJ: 5 years old.**

* * *

 **Christmas Eve (morning) of 1989. JJ's P.O.V.**

"Momma, can I please, please, please open a present early?" I beg Mommy as I follow her into the kitchen. It is Christmas Eve and Momma is getting the turkey ready to cook all day. While that is outside in what in the 'turkey cooker', my Momma is inside making pies.

Momma is making a chocolate pie and a pumpkin pie. Aunt Amber will make the lemon icebox and pecan pie, and Aunt Maria is making two surprise pies. She never makes the same two years in a row. I hope it's another chocolate pie, cause everyone likes that kind!

After pies are ready, Momma gets the dressing, and green bean casserole in the oven and then she gets the mac and cheese out. Aunt Amber is also making a sweet potato casserole and the mash potatoes. Aunt Maria does the other thing of dressing and mac and cheese.

"Well, baby if you open another one today, then you won't have any to open tonight."

"Okay. Can I call Emmy and sees if she want to come over?" I ask instead. Then I add, "If she isn't busy with her family?" Cause I know Emmy's mom and dad usually takes her away for Christmas.

"Sure, sweetheart." I cheer and run to the phone. I dial the number Emmy helped me remember and then I wait for her to pick up.

 _"¡ Hola, bebé, una niña. ¡ Feliz Navidad!"_ I hear Emily say. I smile real big. _Hey, baby girl. Merry Christmas!_

"Hola Emmy! Feliz Navidad!" _Hi, Emmy! Merry Christmas!_

 _"¿Cómo estás, cariño?"_ _How are you, sweetheart?_

Since I met Emmy, she has teached me how to speak Spanish! She says only me, her and Uncle J know how too. Uncle J is Emmy's daddy. Not even her momma knows how to speak Spanish!

"¡Soy bueno" _I'm good!_

 _"That's great, baby. What are you up to?"_

"Nothing. Are you busy with your mommy and daddy?" I ask.

 _"No, I'm not. Did you need something?"_

"Can you come over, please, Emmy? I wanna watch a Christmas movie with you."

 _"Sure I can come, Princess. I'll tell my dad and be right over, okay?"_

"Okay, Emmy!" I hang the phone up and give it to mommy. Then I go back to the living room. My sissy and bubba are in there.

When Emmy gets here we go up to my room.

"Emmy, do you wanna color with me?"

"Sure, bug. What kind of pictures do you have?" I show Emmy a pictures of a gingerbread house with candy canes, and gumdrops, and yummy icing. Then I show her a Christmas tree with lots and lots presents. Then I show her a Christmas wreath.

"I'm gonna color the gingerbread house. Which one do you want?"

"Let me have the Christmas tree." I hand her the page and then give her a pretty green crayon. I color my wreath green with purple and pink Christmas lights on it. The I color the big bow red.

"Do you like my picture, Emily?" I even made sure to stay I the lines. Sissy taught me to take my time and not rush. To color really, really slow.

"Yes, I love it. It's very pretty. And you know what?"

"What?"

"I'm going to hang it up in my room. Right above my desk so I can see it everyday. I just need you to do one thing."

"What, Emmy?"

"I need you to sign your name. Can you write your name nice and neat?" I nod and get a blue crayon. Then I write: 'J-e-n-n-y J-a-r-e-a-u.'

"There!" I give the paper back to her.

"Thank you very much, sweetheart."

* * *

 **Later in the morning.**

After we get done coloring, me and Emmy watch a Christmas movie! We watch _How the Grinch Stole Christmas!_ It's a funny movie cause the mean grinch is silly!

After we watch the movie, Emmy makes us grilled cheese sandwiches for a snack and Momma gives us hot chocolate with extra marshmallows. Yummy!

"Okay sweetie." Emmy says after she puts her plate in the sink. "I need to go home. My dad said I could onto come for the morning and then I need to come home for lunch."

"Aw! But do you have to go?" I ask. Emmy kisses my forehead.

"Yes, sweetie, I do. But my dad says I can come back after you open your presents. But only if it is okay with your momma. I don't want to get in the way of your family time."

"Oh, can she Momma? Please? Emmy is family too, right?"

"Of course she is. And if it is absolutely okay with her parents then she can come over." Mommy says. Yay!

"Yay! Emmy, you can come over."

"Okay. I will see you tonight. Merry Christmas, butterfly."

"Merry Christmas, Emmy!"

"Thank you, Mrs. Jareau. I just didn't want to intrude on you family time."

"Nonsense, Emily. You are like family to us. You're Jenny's best friend and you are like a daughter to me. If you would like, Jenny could give you a call when we are opening presents." Mommy says to Emily. "Oh, and I've told you Emily; please call me Sandy. Mrs. Jareau is my mother-in-law and it makes me feel old."

"Okay, Sandy. Well if it won't be a bother, then I guess Jenny can call me."

"You're gonna come open present with us, Emmy?" I ask. Yay! I get to see Emmy in the morning _and_ at night!

"I guess I will. I need to go and I'll see you tonight, butterfly. Bye-bye."

"Bye, Emmy!"

* * *

 **Something short and sweet for the night. Give me prompts for vacations for these one-shots.**

 **If you want, I can put up the nighttime version of this so it will actual be them speeding Christmas together. Just whatever you guys want.**

 **Please review! Let me know what you thought!**


	2. Christmas Time! pt 2

**Here is the nighttime part to the last chapter.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Elijah: 13 years old.  
Rosaline: 11 years old.  
JJ: 5 years old.  
Emily: 10 years old.**

 **Maria and Caleb  
Kayleigh: 6 years old.  
Rayleigh: 6 years old.  
Amber and Jack**

 **Madeleine: 11 years old.  
Elena: 4 years old.  
Breanna: 4 years old.**

* * *

 **Christmas Eve. 1989 general P.O.V.**

That evening, Emily comes over to JJ's house. All her cousins and aunts and uncles are there.

Elena, the youngest of the bunch, sees Emily first. She was introduced to JJ's extended family over the past few months that she has known JJ.

"Hi, Em'ly! Merry Christmas!" The young girl shouts as she runs over to Emily. She's missing her first tooth and is having a harder time than usual pronouncing some of her letters.

"Merry Christmas, 'Lena! You look so pretty. I love your Christmas dress!"

"What do you say to Emily, Elena?" Amber asks.

"Thanks, Emmy!"

"You're welcome." Emily ventures further into the house and sees the rest of the family and JJ scattered around the living room. The TV is on and _How the Grinch Stole Christmas_ is on again. There's a fire little in the fireplace. There's blankets and pillows scattered around the kids in the floor.

"Hello, Emily." Sandy greets. "We're just resting from dinner and then we will open the presents if you would like to join us."

"Emmy, you came back!" JJ cheers. She jumps from her place in thefloor and runs over. "Come watch the movie with us."

After watching the movie for about 20 minutes, the adults decide its present time. They turn the light on and clear away the pillows and blankets.

"Okay, I need all the kids to sit in a circle. Emily, why don't you come help pass out presents? And JJ, this year is your turn to help." Sandy tells the girls.

"Elena and Brea, why don't you come help too? That way we can get done quicker." Michael and Sandy hand presents to JJ and Emily, while Amber hands them to El and Brea.

"Now, here's how this works Emily. I will give you each two to three

presents and whosever name in on it, it goes to that person."

"Okay." Emily nods. JJ bounces up and down excitedly beside her.

"Okay, Jenny, come over here. Here is two presents. Do you know who they are for?"

JJ peers down at the package. "Daddy!"

"Good job! Go sit them on the couch and come back." Sandy picks up a couple more and hands them to Emily. 'To Aunt Amber' is written in JJ's unmistakable neat handwriting. She goes over to Amber's seat and comes back.

"Brea, this is for sissy. Be gentle and go give it to her." Amber tells her. Breanna walks over to Maddie with the present. Amber then turns to Elena.

"El, these two presents are for Aunt Sandy and Uncle Mic. Go put them on the coffee table, okay?"

"Okay, Mommy!" She leaves and then comes back for more.

"Okay, girls, now these two presents are both for daddy. Go give them to him, but be real gentle. Okay?"

"Yes, ma'am." The two go over to Jack. "Here's your present, Daddy. Merry Christmas!"

"Thank you, sweetie."

"JJ, this present is for Emily. GO put where she is sitting so she can open when she is done helping."

"'Kay, Momma."

"And Emily, sweetie, this is for Uncle Caleb and Aunt Marie."

Emily nods and brings the presents over to the couple.

"Mommy, this present says 'Elena'. That's my name!" El shouts excitedly.

"Very good! Go put it in your spot and come back." Amber turns to Brea. "Baby, do you know what this present says?" She holds one up in Minnie Mouse wrapping paper.

"It says 'Breanna'!"

"Very good! Go put it on your spot."

After all the presents are handed out, the kids go wild with opening them while the adults take pictures.

First, the twins Kayleigh and Rayleigh. They each get an American Girl Doll. They have blonde hair, blue eyes, and one of them has purple glasses to match Kay's.

"An American Girl Doll! Thank you, Mommy. Thanks, Dad!"

"You're welcome! What are their names?"

"Mine's name is Kirsten!" Kayleigh replies.

"And mine is Molly!" The two open a couple more boxes.

"Sissy, look! We got bunk beds, Christmas dressed, and shirts, jeans and snow boots!"

"And look, Kay!" Ray-Ray pulls some more clothes out. "We got matching clothes too!"

"Thank you, Momma."

"Actually girls, the beds and clothes came from Uncle Mic and Sandy and Uncle Jack and Aunt Amber."

"Thank you!" The two chorus. Next are Madeleine, Rosaline and Elijah. As the oldest of the group they didn't get any toys.

Elijah got a pair of jeans, a couple of sweatshirts and boots. Rosaline got a matching sweatshirt, some sparkly jeans and boots. She also got an art set with some paints and a telescope to look at the stars.

Maddie got jeans, shirts, boots and some art supplies.

Being the youngest, El and Brea got lots of toys. They got a stuffed Minnie and Mickey Mouse. Snow White on tape, a Sleeping Beauty on tape and princess crayons and coloring books. Then El and Brea receive matching long-sleeve blue shirts, jeans, and boots along with Bitty American Girl Dolls.

The dolls are look-a-likes. Both have blue eyes and blonde hair. They get a trundle bed, matching outfits, diapers and bottles for them.

"What do you say, girls?" Amber asks.

"Thank you very, very much!"

Finally, they get Emily and JJ. JJ also receives a couple of princess movies. Her favorite stuffed doll, Daisy Duck. New pajamas and a new art set. She also gets Rudolph footy-pajamas.

Emily gets a new pair of jeans, a shirt, a sweatshirt and boots to wear as an outfit. Emily receives a matching set of footy-pajamas.

After opening the presents, everyone is exhausted.

"All right guys. Lets head on up to bed. Santa will be here in a few hours and you all want to be asleep when he gets here." Maria announces. The kids follow her upstairs with JJ and Emily hanging back.

"Emmy, are you gonna stay?"

"Not tonight, baby. I need to get home. But you can call me as soon as you wake up. Deal?"

"Deal. Can you sing me a song?"

"Sure. Come on, let's go get you changed."

After changing into her new pjs and Emily sings their song, JJ falls asleep while Michael runs Emily home.

"Thank you for the presents, Uncle Mic." Emily says as he helps her unload.  
"No problem, sweetie. You're part of the family now and we always give family presents."

* * *

 **Here it is. I will have the Spring Breat pt. 1 up in a few minutes. Review and leave prompts!**


	3. Spring Break pt 1

**Another prompt for Hippiechic 81. She wanted a chapter with hurt Emily and brave JJ.**

 **So I am bringing everyone to the beach. This is another first. First Spring Break and first trip to the beach with both JJ and Emily.**

* * *

 **Amber and Jack**

 **Madeleine: 11 years old.**

 **Elena: 4 years old**

 **Breanna: 4 years old.**

* * *

 **Maria and Caleb**

 **Kayleigh: 7 years old.**

 **Rayleigh: 7 years old.**

* * *

 **Elijah: 14 years old.**

 **Rosaline: 11 years old.**

 **JJ: 5 years old.**

 **Emily: 11 years old.**

* * *

 **Day 1 of Spring Break of 1990. (Saturday)**

Saturday afternoon, Emily arrives back at her house from picking JJ up. "Emmy, can we have a sleepover _all_ week?" JJ asks.

"Well, we'll need to talk to your mom and ask Uncle J, but that sound like fun to me." E,ily answers. When she and JJ enter the kitchen to get a snack, they see James with papers and his laptop spread around him.

"Hi, Daddy. What are you looking at?" Emily asks.

"Hey, Emmy-bear. Well, in a few minutes, JJ your Momma and Dad are going to cbring Eli and Ros over."

The kindergartener looks up at James confused. "How come, Uncle J?"

"Because we have a surprise for everyone and your Mom and Dad wanted to tell you while you were over here." James answers. "Why don't you two get a couple of these chocolate chip cookies and a glass of milk while you wait for them to come over?"

"Okay!" After Emily and JJ eat the cookies, Sandy, Michael and the others arrive. Alone with JJ's parents and siblings, her cousins and aunts and uncles arrive too. Everyone piles into the living room.

"Okay, everyone." James starts. "The grownups and I have something to tell you."

Amber goes next. "For Spring Break this year your parents, Mr. James and I have decided to take you all on a big vacation."

"We are go to leave at midnight on Monday and stay all week. We will come back home next Saturday night." Maria tells them.

"Does anyone have any questions?" Jack asks.

"Is that why you and Momma were packin' clothes for us this week?" Madeleine asks Jack.

Amber nods. "Yep. Dad and I have Elena and Brea's clothes all packed except for some pjs. El, do you and Brea think you can help Daddy pick out some special pjs to wear at the beach?" She asks the two preschoolers.

"Yes! Can we pack out new out-ti-fits?" She asks excitedly.

Amber smiles. "Yes, we still need three outfits. Do you know where i can find them?" She asks. She has already packed four shirts and shorts, but needs extra just in case of an accident.

"Momma, we gots dree out-ti-fits!" Breanna exclaims.

"Yes, you do." Amber answers. Then she looks up. "Does anyone else have anymore questions?"

"How are gettin' there, Aunt Amber?" Kayleigh asks.

"We're going to fly there on a plane." James answers.

The kids all cheer. "Okay," Maria claps her hands. "Kay, Rayleigh, Dad and I have already packed your clothes. We need you to come home and pack a small backpack of toys and you each pick out one stuffed animal to bring. Okay?"

"Okay, Momma!" The twins jump up and follow Caleb to the door. "James, we will see you tomorrow?"

James nods. "Yes, you can call and let me know when you are ready." Maria nods in agreement and then she and Caleb leave with the twins.

"All right, Brea, Elena, you can come home and help Daddy and I pack your new outfits. I also need you to pick out three super special pairs of flip-flops. Okay?"

"Otay, Mommy." Breanna jumps up and walks over to Amber. "I wanna b'ing my pink f'ip-f'ops and my pur'le f'ip-f'ops…" she trails off as Amber nods and they walk to the door.

Behind her, Elena is telling Jack, "Daddy, I wanna bring my pink f'lip-f'lops, and my b'ue f'lip-f'lops, and…" Jack too is nodding along as Maddie follows behind them.

"Mommy, can I help Emmy pack before I come home?" JJ asks.

"Sure, baby. I already have your clothes packed, but I need you to get your shoes and a stuffed animal to sleep with."

"Okay."

* * *

 **Day 2 of Spring Break. Sunday night. Midnight. Emily's house.**

It's decided that everyone will wake up a few minutes before midnight on Monday. To minimize the amount of cars needed to go to the airport, Amber and Jack will pick up Maria and Caleb and the twins.

Sandy and Michael will take their car to the Prentiss', and James will drive them, himself, Emily and JJ. Since there are so many suitcases and not enough room in the cars, James borrowed a small trailer from a friend that everyone put their stuff in a few hours before.

At five minutes to midnight, James goes to Emily's room and wakes her and JJ.

"Emmy-bear," He says gently. "It's time to get up. Come on, guys."

Emily slowly wakes up. "Wake Jenny up and then grab your shoes, okay? And make sure you two go to the bathroom before we leave." James tells her.

"Okay, Dad. I will." She turns the lamp beside her bed on and then turns to the sleeping kindergartener.

"Jenny, baby it's time to get up." Slowly, the little girl wakes up.

She jumps up and smiles. "Emmy, we're going to the beach! Come on, hurry!"

"Okay, baby. Slow down. Uncle J wants us to go to the bathroom before we leave. Go so that while I find our shoes." She gets up and turns the main light on and loos for the shoes while JJ skips down the hall to the bathroom.

When she comes back, Emily helps her tie her shoes. "Okay, baby girl. Do you have teddy and your backpack?"

"Yes, Emmy." She turns for the door and then freezes. "Oh! Don't forget my shirt, Emmy. I wanna wear it tomorrow." Emily grabs the t-shirt JJ has dubbed hers and then they head downstairs.

"Hey girls. Here's your jackets. It kind of chilly out so you might need them."

* * *

 **At the airport.**

After waiting for Sandy and Michael to get there with Eli and Ros, they all meet the others at the airport. It take four whole suitcase racks to get the luggage out of the trailer. With each child, minus Elena and Brea who Jack and Caleb are carrying, carrying their backpacks, Michael, James, Amber, and two attendants push the luggage carts inside.

Inside, they get their tickets and then go to wait at their gate.

JJ and Emily look out the window at the planes taking off and landing. Elena, Brea and Kay are still asleep in the chairs.

"Emmy, is going on the plane gonna be scary?" JJ asks.

"It might be for a few minutes, baby. But then we'll get up high in the sky, and you can see the stars. And when you look down everything will teeny tiny."

"Really?" JJ ryes lights up in excitement. "Do you think we'll see any birds?"

"Well, probably not. It's nighttime so all the birds are sleeping. We'll see the stars, and if you look down all the lights will look like little bitty squares because we will be so high up."

"Wow!"

"All right, everyone, listen up." Amber grabs everyone's attention. "We will be boarding in about 25 minutes. First, I will tell you where you are all sitting. Mr. James was nice enough to get us first class seats, and we have two rows to ourselves."

"First, is going to be Elena and Breanna. I will be sitting in between them. In the middle will be Madeleine, Jack, Kayleigh and James. One the right will be Caleb, Rayleigh and Rosaline."

"Behind Em and the twins, Emily, JJ. In the middle, Maria, Sandy, Elijah and Michael."

"Now, if anyone needs to go to the bathroom, now is the time to do it." Jack and Caleb wake the twins up, who protest at the disturbance of their sleep but get up nonetheless. After everyone is through with the bathroom, they go back to waiting.

Michael notices Sandy watching JJ being entertained by Emily at the window with a nervous look. Emily has challenged JJ, Breanna, Kayleigh and Ray-Ray to a game of counting the planes.

"Baby, what's the matter?"

"I don't know how I feel about JJ sitting with just Emily. I mean, it's her first plane ride and I just think one of us should sit with her."

"Well, I bet Emily could get JJ to calm down better than us."

Sandy sighs. "Yeah, I bet you're right."

The plane takes about 45 minutes to load, to go over the emergency procedures, and then to take off.

After the plane begins to move, Elena and Breanna, who have been moved to the middle with Jack and Amber, Maddie, James and Katleigh changing seats to the side, begin to whimper. So does JJ, who is beside Emily. Emily has the window seat and she and JJ have the row to themselves.

"Emmy." She tried to unbuckle to climb into Emily's lap, but Emily's hands stop her.

"Woah, woah. Baby, you have to sit still."

"But I don't wanna!"

"Hey, Jenny. JJ, look at me." The use of her nickname captures the kindergartner's attention. "I need you to take a deep breath. Okay?" She demonstrates a couple of times.

"You remember what I said at the window?" When JJ doesn't seem to be listening, she asks a different question.

"Hey, you want me to tell you of the first time I rode on a plane?" This seems to pique JJ's interest.

"Yeah!"

"Well, I was your age. And we were moving all the way from California to Branson, Missouri. And we got on the plane and sat down." Emily starts. "I was sitting next to my daddy. And when we started going down the runway, I was scared."

"But you know what Uncle J told me?"

"He said to focus on him. And then he told me the story of Goldy Locks and the Three Bears. And before I knew it, we were in the sky." As Emily continues to the story, the little girl becomes immersed in it. And before they know it, the seatbelt light goes off.

* * *

 **At the beach house. Around 4:30 a.m.**

They arrive at the house a few hours later. It's a huge house; three stories, ten bedrooms and two lofts.

"Okay, guys. Here's the arrangement. You can change it if you like, but this is what I have so far." James tells them after everyone is inside the house.

"This first floor has three bedrooms. I thought we could have Rosaline, Elijah, and Madeleine down here. Second floor has two masters, and two regulars. Amber and Jack, if you want, El and Brea can have the room with two singles since they are too young for bunkbeds, Ray and Kayleigh can have the one with bunkbeds, Maria and Caleb you can have the first masters. Amber and Jack can have the second masters."

"And the third floor has one masters and three regulars, with two lofts. One is a playroom, the other a bedroom."

"Sandy and Michael can take the last masters. JJ and Emily can have the loft room and then I will take one of the regulars. That way, there will always be an adult with the little kids."

Everyone agrees and then heads to be bed.

* * *

 **Here so the first part. I will try my best to have the second part up tomorrow night.**


	4. Spring Break pt 2

**Day 4 of Spring Break. Tuesday.**

Monday is mostly spent with everyone sleeping in and being lazy. The kids didn't get up until well after noon, mostly because since they had slept on the plane they were wide awake. Well, except for Elena and Brea.

JJ and Emily had gotten a snack with Elijah while both sets of twins went to sleep early.

Tuesday morning, JJ wakes Emily up by jumping on the bed.

"Morning, Emmy! Let's go see what's for breakfast!"

"All right. Let's go."

The two go to the playroom and down the slide to downstairs.

As they enter the kitchen, El and Brea, Jack, Sandy and James are all in the kitchen. "Morning, Mommy. Good morning, Uncle Jack and Uncle J!" JJ greets excitedly.

James has made chocolate chip pancakes for everyone but decides to let Emily make herself and JJ something.

"Emmy, can we make Frwench toast?" JJ asks.

"Sure, baby. Go wash your hands." After the French toast is fixed, everyone sits down to eat.

"Momma, can we go to the beach, p'ease?" Breanna asks.

"Not right now. We have to wait a little bit after we eat. How about you go put a movie in, and after it's done we can go then?"

"Okay!" James takes then upstairs to the playroom. They pick out a Disney princess movie and he puts it in.

"Emmy, come outside with me! I wanna play hide-'n'-go-seek!" JJ says.

"Okay, okay. Let's go get our play clothes on. Okay?"

"All right!" JJ puts on a blue tank top and some short. She grabs a jacket and her shoes and then goes back downstairs.

Outside, Emily has a swing set, a sandbox and a slide.

"Come on, Emmy. I wanna swing. Can you push me?" Emily helps the young kindergartner into the swung and then begins pushing her. After about ten minutes, the two tire out.

"Emmy, I'm bored. Can we go see if Uncle J will take us to the beach?"

"Sure, come on." The two head back inside. Inside the house, everyone is putting their swimsuits on. Since Elijah si the oldest, he is allowed to take Ros, JJ and Emily down to the beach.

"Emmy, let's go play in the water!" JJ shouts as she runs across the sand.

Emily puts the bag with the beach toys and her and JJ's towel in the sand. She digs the sunscreen out and calls JJ back over.

"Let's put sunscreen on first, okay bug?" She sprays the kindergartener.

"Okay, now we can go play." Emily tells her after she sprays her own arms and legs. The two run to the water and play for a while.

Once the other kids come out and the next door neighbors come over, they have enough kids for a very large came of Marco/Polo.

"Hey, Peter! Tommy!" Emily shouts. The kids come over, two boys and three girls ages ranging from 3 to 17.

Thomas Joseph, age 17. "Tommy, this is JJ. She's the little girl I've been telling you about. Jenny, this is my friend Tommy. Can you say hi?" She asks the younger girl who is now hiding behind her.

Tommy bends down the the five year old's level. "Hello, JJ. My name is Thomas, but my friends call me Tommy. Would you like to be my friend?"

"Yes." JJ finally says. "Hi, Tommy."

Next is Peter James, age 15. "Jenny this is Tommy's brother Quentin. And these are their sisters." She points to three girls.

"This is Nicole, Abbi, and this little one is named Tabitha."

"Guys, this is my friend JJ. Abbi, Tabs can you say hi?"

"Hi, JJ!" Three-year-old Tabitha says.

"Hi, Tabby! Hi, Abbi. Do you wanna build a castle with me? I got all kinds of toys!"

"Sure, let's go!" Seven-year-old Abbigail takes her sister and JJ's hands and walks them over to the beach towels Amber, Maria and their mom Beverly have set up.

"Mommy, this is Emily's friend JJ!" Abbi tells her mom. "JJ, this is our mommy. Her name is Beverly, but you can call her Miss. Bev. Right, Momma?"

"Yes, she can. Hello, JJ. Your such a cutie in that bathing suit."

"Thank you, Miss. Bev!"

The girls get to work with building the castle. Soon, Kay and Ray-Ray come over and help, while Sandy, Ros and Eli are helping El and Brea look for seashells and sand dollars.

"Look, Momma! I hear da ocean!" Elena holds up a seashell.

"Wow! Look at that." Amber tells her. "Good job. Here, put it in the bucket." El drops the shell in the bucket and goes back to looking for more.

"Emmy, look! The castle's got a moat!" JJ shows her the hole they have dug around the pretty good looking castle. It has a big palm leaf across one side as the drawbridge. The castle has windows, flags and 'crocodiles' made out of rocks.

"Wow, Jenny this looks really good. You guys did a great job!"

"Emmy!" Three-year-old Tabby says. "I got the cro'diles!"

Emily smiles. "You did?"

"Yeah!"

"Well, I bet that was a very important job. You know why?"

"Why?"

"Because you can't have a castle without crocodiles! Just ask Niki." Tabby turns to her eleven year old sister, Nicole Lynn.

"'Cole, it is twue?" Nicole smiles at her baby sister.

"Of course!" Tabby beams and goes back to adding 'crocodiles' to the moat.

After about an hour in the sun and sand, Michael and James bring the grill down and get lunch started.

The younger kids don't last very long after lunch, just long enough for everyone to get done eating.

The two families split up, the Jareau family going inside to take their naps and Abbi, and Tabitha going in their house for their own naps.

* * *

 **Wednesday. Day 5 of Spring Break. Noon.**

At noon the next day, James decides to have another barbecue down at the beach. He, Michael and Caleb take the grill and hammers and hot dogs down to the sand, while the ladies bring down the utensils and other necessities when it is done.

After lunch and waiting for the food to settle, the kids are allowed to go play in the sand.

They play a few rounds of Marco/Polo and fix what the rain and wind the night before had done to castle before JJ gets bored.

She spots some rocks about 20 feet down the beach. "Emmy, come on! Let's go play 'explore' on those rocks!" The two jump up and run over to the rocks.

"I'm a pirate, Em! And you gotta do what I say!" JJ exclaims, jumping on the rocks over looking the ocean.

"What do I have to do, Pirate JJ?" Emily asks.

"You gotta catch me! You it and the sand is base!" JJ runs across the rocks with Emily following. Inside is an ocean cove like place. The kids that visit Thsi beach know about. But what they know that Emily and JJ don't is that you have to go down a hole that you only see if you are looking for it.

As JJ runs, she merely missed the hole by only a couple of inches whereas Emily falls right in. It's the sound of her best friend screaming that catches her attention.

"Emmy?" JJ calls. She goes back over and sees the hole. "Emmy! Where are you?" Seeing that it isn't that deep, JJ jumps in. She sees emiyl laying unconscious on the cove floor.

"Emmy! Get up, please!" JJ frantically calls. She touches Emily's face and when she doesn't get a response, she panics. "Emmy, please, wake up! Thsi ain't funny anymore!"q

Climbing back up the hole with the help of the stair like rocks she runs back over to everyone else.

"Eli! Eli, come quick!" JJ yells and Elijah drops the ball he and Tommy were playing with.

"Jen, what's the matter, baby?"

"It's Emmy! You hafta come, bubba. She's hurt and she's not wakin' up!"

"Jenny, slow down! Take a deep breath and slowly, tell me what's wrong."

"Emmy's hurt! We were playin' on some rocks," She points to the rocks down the beach. "And she fell. I tried to wake her but I couldn't!"

"Okay, Tommy! " the teen comes rushing over. I" need you to get my dad and Emily's dad. Tell them to call 911 and tell someone to come to those rocks. Do you understand?"

"Yes! Go on." Tommy runs to James and tells him what's going on. While he calls 911, Michael, Robert, Caleb and Jack all race off to the rocks.

* * *

 **Here's the second part. Sorry if it felt a bit rushed. It's late but I wanted to get it up. The last part is going to take a while longer because I am going to need to know how to write the whole 'Emily is unconscious and in the hospital' part.**

 **Let's see;**

 **Robert (dad): Brown hair, blue eyes.**

 **Beverly (mom): Blonde hair, green eyes.**

 **Thomas Joseph: Age 17. Brown hair, green eyes.**

 **Quentin James: Age 15. Blonde hair, green eyes.**

 **Nicole Lynn: Age 11. Blonde hair, blue eyes.**

 **Abbigail Kate: Age 7. Dark blonde hair, blue eyes.**

 **Tabitha Ann: Age 3. Brown hair, blue eyes.**


	5. Spring Break pt 3

**Sorry it's taken so long. No inspiration _at all._**

 **This is going to have a little of everyone in it.**

 **Disclaimers: I do no own Criminal Minds. Just JJ's extended family, Emily's dad and the family next door to James' beach house. I don't own You Are My Sunshine, The Wizards of Oz movie or the song Somewhere Over the Rainbow.**

 **Rated: T just to be safe.**

 **Spoilers: None.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

Caleb, Michael and James run down to the rocks after Elijah. After Jack calls 911 and gives them the location, he turns to the oldest kids. "Tommy, Quin, take the kids and go inside. I don't want them to see this."

"Yes, sir." Tommy answers. "Tabitha, Abbi lets go inside and see Momma. You too, Niki." He gathers his sisters and takes them inside, telling them it's lunchtime, while Quentin and Rosaline get the others.

"JJ, come on, sweetie. Let's go inside." Q says to the little girl.

"No! I wanna see Emmy!" She takes off to the rocks with Quentin following. "JJ! Don't go down there! Come back!"

"Ray! Kayleigh!" Rosa calls. She had been told by Michael to together the others inside, that Emily fell and he didn't want them to see anything. "Time to come in!"

Maria gets her kids while Sandy gathers El and Brea. "Elena Grace, Breanna! Time to come in!" Sandy yells to the oblivious little girls down by the water.

"Aw, but why Aunt Sandy?" Breanna complains as Sandy walks down to the water and calls for them again.

"Because sweetie, it's just time to come in. Come on, now." Sandy brings the girls over to the patio where Maria is rinsing Kay and Rayleigh off with the water hose. She sprays Brea and Elena down and then takes them ignoring their protests until they are all inside.

"Okay, guys," Maria says to young girls gathered at the table. "You are going to have stay in for a little while."

"Aw, but why Mom? We wanna play in the sand. We were behaving, I promise." Kayleigh says.

"I know you were, sweetie." She tells the seven-year-old. "But we needed you to come on for a few minutes."

"But why? Why did we have to come in?" Rayleigh persists in the questioning.

"We'll tell you in just a few minutes, okay?" Sandy. She gets out some juice and apple slices. "For now, how 'bout we have a snack? Who wants apple slices and juice?"

Elena's eyes light up, apple slices and grape juice being her favorite snack. "Oh, I do, Aunt Sandy! Me, me! I do!"

"Okay. Go with Auntie Maria and wash those yucky hands." The girls all follow Maria upstairs and when they are gone, Sandy sighs deeply. She takes a seat at the table and glances out of the window. She can hear the ambulance sirens as they pull into the front driveway.

Amber and Caleb come in just moments before the paramedics knock on the door. As Caleb goes to let them in and lead them to where Emily is, Amber stays in the kitchen to tell Sandy what's going on.

"What happened, Amber?" Sandy asks. "One minute everyone is playing and having a good time. Then the next thing I know, Michael is telling Ros and the others to get the kids inside while the guys all run down to the water."

Amber sighs. "Well, from I could from a very, very upset JJ, it seems like the two were playing on the rocks. Jack said the rocks seemed slippery and he thinks Emily must have slipped in the little cove down below. He thinks she bumped her head and it knocked her out."

"I don't want JJ down there." Sandy says, starting to stand up. "She shouldn't see her best friend like this."

"Good luck getting her to come to the house. While James and Caleb got Emily out of the hole, Q had to go get Tommy. JJ refuses to leave and she only wants to be with Tommy."

"I should at least try though." Sandy starts to move to the door only to be interrupted by Maria and the kids coming back to the kitchen.

* * *

 **Down by the rocks.**

After they move her out of the hole, Caleb and Jack get Emily steady.

"Emmy-bear," James whispers to his only child. "Open your eyes for me baby." After some examination, it seems Emily hit her head and got knocked out.

"Uncle J!" JJ cries as she speeds toward them. Michael catches her before she can see the unconscious Emily Jack and James are trying to wake up. Caleb went with Amber back to house for the paramedics.

"Jenny, you don't need to be down here. Why don't you go back with Q and go see mommy in the house?"

"No, Daddy! I wanna see Emmy!"

"You don't need to see Emmy right now, sweetheart. Go with Q back to the house, okay?"

"Daddy, no! Let me stay, please!" JJ begs.

"Okay, but you need to stay out of the way. All right?"

"I want Tommy!" JJ begins to cry throwing Michael off track at her sudden change in want in person.

"I'll go get him." Q volunteers and then takes off to his house. Tommy returns moments later with Caleb and the medics.

"Hey, little mouse." He scoops JJ up in his arms. "Emily's going to be all right, okay? You did the right thing coming and getting help."

"Sir, I need you to move aside and let my partner and I work on you daughter." The paramedic that just asked for Emily's information says.

"Just help me daughter, please." James tells them.

"Sir, can you tell us what happened?"

"My daughter and Emily were playing on these rocks. Emily slipped and fell inside the cove." Michael tells them.

One of the medics turns to the frightened five-year-old. "Are you the little girl that got help for your friend?" She asks gently.

JJ sniffles and shyly buries her face in Tommy's neck. "Yes. She's the one that came and got help." Tommy answers for her.

The medic smiles at JJ. "Well, what you did was a very brave thing." She says.

"It was?"

"Yes, it was. You saved your friend's life. She's very lucky to have such a brave little girl like yourself as her friend." The medic answers, smiling gently at JJ. "Your friend's daddy is going to ride with us to the hospital, but I bet your daddy will take you in his car."

JJ looks at Michael over Tommy's shoulder. "Can you, daddy?"

"Of course, baby. Let's go get some dry clothes on." While the medics are loading Emily into the ambulance with James following, Michael and Tommy take JJ inside to change. Maria, Amber and Sandy have now gotten the kids upstairs and ready for nap in their rooms. After their snack, they were worn out and less likely to argue about going back outside.

* * *

 **Inside. JJ's room.**

"Okay, baby." Michael digs out a blue tank top and some shorts for JJ to put on. "Put these on and then we can go see Emmy. Okay?"

Tommy sits the little girl in her bed. "Hey, little mouse; I'm going to wait downstairs in the kitchen for you, okay?"

JJ nods. "Okay, Tommy." Tommy leaves and Michael helps JJ get dressed. As they are putting her tennis shoes on, JJ starts crying again. Michael wraps an arm around her.

"Shh, Shh. It's ok, sweetie." Michael whispers soothingly.

"Daddy?"

"What baby?"

"Is Emmy gonna die?" The question shocks Michael into silence for a moment. After a few seconds, JJ whispers, "I don't want her to die, Daddy. Emmy's my bestest friend in the whole wide world."

Michael bends down in front of JJ. "Sweetheart, look at me." When JJ does, he says, "Emily is not going to die. Okay? She just bumped her head, that's all. And we are going to go to the hospital, you'll get to see her and soon she'll be good as new. Okay?"

JJ sniffles again. "Do you promise, Daddy?"

"I promise, baby." Michael stands up and then picks JJ up. "Okay, let's go." They go downstairs where Tommy is waiting in the kitchen with Sandy.

"Tommy!" JJ reaches out for the teen who immediately takes her in his arms. "Hey there, little mouse. It's ok." After speaking with Sandy for moment to tell her she should stay with Maria and Amber as Jack has went to the hospital, he leaves with JJ and Tommy.

* * *

 **At the hospital. Around noon.**

When they first arrive they are directed to the peds waiting room. Jack is already there. While Tommy goes over to the table to entertain JJ with some kids' books, Michael asks Jack how Emily is.

"The doctor says she's fine. No concussion or anything like that. All she did was cut her head. The doctor stitched it up and gave her some pain meds that her drowsy so James went ahead and let her sleep."

"Is she awake? JJ will want to see her."

"No, I don't think so. James told me that the pain medicine they gave her is going to make her sleepy. Even if she does wake up this afternoon, she'll be groggy and will probably fall right back asleep. They want to keep she overnight just to monitor her, but she should be able to go home tomorrow morning or afternoon."

"How do you know all this?" Michael asks confused.

"James told me. Said to tell you because he had to step out and make a phone call to Elizabeth."

"Aw, damn." Michael places his hands over his face. "I completely forgot about her mother." JJ comes over then.

"Daddy, Uncle Jack? Can I see Emmy now?"

"Sure, sweetie." Michael goes to pick her up only to have her be picked up by Tommy, him already sensing she would want that. Michael sighs not liking to be the one JJ doesn't want to be comforted by.

"Now, little mouse I need you to listen, okay?" Tommy says to the five-year-old as Jack leads them and Mic down the hall to Emily's room.

"Okay."

"Emmy is going to be asleep, but that's okay because the doctors gave her medicine to make her sleepy." He had been listening to Mic and Jack's conversation.

"Why did they do that?"

"Well, because when she fell she hurt her head. The medicine is to make sure she is asleep while she head is healing up."

"Why does she hafta be asleep?"

"Because if she isn't then she would have a headache. And none of us want her to have a headache while she gets better, right?"

"I don't want that!"

"I know you don't, little mouse. That's why when we go in, you can talk to Emmy, but she might not talk back. Okay?"

"Okay, Tommy." They arrive at the room now. Tommy takes JJ to Emily's bed and sits in the chair with her.

"Hi, Emmy." She whispers to her sleeping best friend. "Tommy says you hafta sleep while your head gets all better. I love you, Emmy. I hope your head gets better soon so you can wake up." As JJ sits back against Tommy, he starts talking.

"Hey, Em. You gave everyone a scare." Tommy whispers next. "Make sure you get better, okay? So you can come home and finish out this vacation with us. Building sandcastles and playing the water won't be as fun without you."

* * *

 **A couple of hours later. Around 2:00 p.m.**

"Tommy," JJ sighs. The five-year-old is getting restless, the coloring books and story books the nurse gave her are no longer keeping her occupied. "I'm bored. When is Emmy gonna wake up?"

"Well, how about we go home for a little while? Uncle James can watch Emily and we can go home and get something to eat." He suggests.

"No! I don't want to go home! I wanna stay here and wait for Emmy to wake up!"

Tommy sighs. He knew it was long shot but still he had to try. Trying to convince the five-year-old shadow attached to Emily that she was going to be fine is harder than he thought. "Little mouse, Emmy is tired and the medicine the doctor gave her made her sleepy, remember?"

"But you said that _hours_ ago! When is she actually gonna wake up?"

"I'm not sure, honey. But that was only an hour and a half ago. I know it seems like forever, but really it hasn't been that long."

"Then why does it feel like it?" JJ pouts as Michael and James look on. Jack went home to make sure everything is going good there, as it is only his wife, Sandy, Maria and Caleb watching the kids. Michael needs to go home also and he has been debating whether to take JJ with him.

"Because you are young and a little bit always feels like a really long time to kids." Tommy tells her. He knows from experience, being almost six when him mom was pregnant with Niki, nine months felt like a bazillion years to his five-and-a-half-year-old mind.

JJ huffs again. "I want her to wake up now though."

Michael decides to step in now seeing JJ getting restless and the beginning of a tantrum.

"Jenny, why don't we go home? We can see Mommy and sissy and bubby." He walks over to the mini-blonde. "We can even have a snack and then maybe come back in a couple of hours to say goodnight to James and Emily."

"No, Daddy!" JJ whines tired of saying it. She just doesn't want to go home. "I wanna stay here. I wanna see Emmy wake up."

"Sweetie, she may not wake up until really late tonight and by then visiting hours will be over."

JJ throws her hands up in the air. "What are 'visiting hours'?"

"They're certain hours that anyone who is not related to Emily can visit. Like me and you, and Uncle Jack and Tommy. We are just her friends, so we have to go home when the visiting hours are over."

JJ frowns at her dad. "But Emmy says I'm like her sister, so why can't I stay."

Michael sighs. He was afraid of this. He thinks of Emily as his daughter and is very happy that she is close enough to JJ to think of her as sister, but unfortunately sometimes that doesn't mean anything past just being a bunch of words. He looks at his daughter and into her big blue eyes. She looks a lot like him and reminds him of himself so much sometimes that it's like looking into a mirror.

He wishes he didn't have to tell that, that's all it is. A bunch of words. "Well, sweetheart, sometimes that doesn't mean anything. We're not Emily's family and so we can't stay past visiting hours. I'm really sorry, baby, but that's just how it is sometimes."

JJ sighs and hops down from Tommy's lap. Although she may not like it but she's still a good kid and rarely if ever disobeys a grownup when asked to do something.

"Are you sure we can come back, Daddy? I wanna see Emmy before I go to bed." The little girl takes Michael's hand as they walk out of the room. Tommy gives Emily a quick goodbye and then swoops in and takes JJ's other hand.

"I will try my very hardest to get you back in time to say goodnight to Emily, sweetheart."

The three head home where Sandy waits for the news on Emily. They are having a late lunch with Caleb and Robert barbequing while Quen and Nicole are helping Maria and Amber watch the younger kids.

"Mommy!" JJ shouts as she runs into the kitchen where Sandy and Bev are preparing a salad.

"Hey, baby. I'm glad you're ok." Sandy hugs her daughter tight and then does the same with Michael.

"How is she?"

"The doctor says she's going to be just fine. She's asleep right now because of the pain meds but should be able to come home tomorrow."

"Good. That's good. And James is staying with her?"

"Yeah, he's going to stay. He's been trying to get in touch with Elizabeth but isn't having any luck."

Sandy sighs. "That's awful. But really what can you do? I mean she obviously cares more about her work than her own kid." She shakes her head annoyed with Elizabeth Prentiss.

"I know, honey. But it's not our place to judge. Come on, now. Let's just have a nice lunch and work on distracting Jenny for a few hours, all right? Maybe we can even get her to take a nap before I take her back to the hospital to say goodnight to Emily."

The rest of the evening is spent playing in the water and sand. Around three, JJ tires out and finally falls asleep. She sleeps for two hours and by the time dinner and bath time is done, visiting hours are over.

The young blonde is devastated that she won't get to say goodnight to Emily and it takes a joint effort of Michael and Sandy to finally calm her down.

In her bedroom, Tommy is the one that sings JJ to sleep.

"What do you want me to sing tonight, little mouse?"

"I don't know. The sunshine song is just for Emmy so you can't sing it." The sleepy blue-eyed little girl says sternly.

"Okay, well how about I surprise you? Is that ok?"

"Yeah, _surpwise_ me."

"All right. Get under the covers." After he pulls the comforter up to JJ's chin, he asks, "Ready?" At JJ's nod he starts to sing,

 _Somewhere over the rainbow,  
Way up high.  
There's a land that I've heard of,  
Once in a lullaby._

 _Somewhere over the rainbow,  
Skies are blue.  
And the dreams that you dare to dream really do come true._

 _Someday I wish upon a star, (someday I wish upon a star)  
Where the clouds are far, far, far behind me  
(And wake up where the clouds are far behind me)_

 _Where all my troubles melt like lemon drops.  
Way above the chimney tops, (way above the chimney tops)  
That is where you will find me._

Within minutes, JJ is asleep and Tommy tiptoes out of her bedroom, down the stairs and back over to his house for the night.

* * *

 **The next day.**

The next morning, Emily wakes up for the second time. Early in the night she woke with a headache and the doctors gave her some more medicine. She eventually fell back asleep until nine a.m. The doctor came in and checked her over, giving her the go-ahead to leave. He said she'll have a slight headache for a day or so and then she'll be able to move around again. She only has to avoid going in the water.

"Daddy, can you call and see if JJ can come here?" Emily asks. She sits up in her bed with her legs hanging on the side.

"Sure. Michael can sit with you while I go call your mother." The mention of Elizabeth makes Emily roll her eyes.

"Yeah, the same mother who couldn't even bother to come check on her daughter after she cracks her head open."

James sighs. "I'm sorry about her, sweetheart."

"It's fine, Dad." Emily says dismissively. She got over her mom's absence a long time ago. "Can you just call and see if JJ can come?"

"Yes, I will. I'm going to go to the nurse's desk and call them. Then I'll call your mom." He leaves the room and, about twenty minutes later, Emily has an armful of blonde curls.

"Emmy!" JJ clamors up onto the bed and throws her arms around Emily.

"Hey, baby. I'm okay, Jen. Calm down." Emily runs a hand through JJ's curls.

Michael walks in then and looks over at the two girls.

"JJ, what did I tell you about running off like that?"

JJ looks down. "Sorry, Daddy. I really, really wanted to see, Emmy."

I know you did, baby. But you still need to wait for me. Okay?"

"Okay, Daddy."

"All right. Come on, you two. I talked to James on the phone and he said I can bring you home, Emily." Michael helps Emily gather her things and then the two girls follow him to the car.

At the house, Emily goes up to her bedroom and lays down for nap since the doctors woke her up all through the night to check up on her. JJ goes too because she was restless the night before.

"Come on, butterfly. Close your eyes and go to sleep. I know you're tired." Emily tries to coaxes the younger girl to go to sleep. So far though, she is not having any luck.

"Do you promise to be here when I wake up, Emmy?"

Emily sighs at the fear she sees in the kindergartener's eyes. She'll have to remember to ask Tommy just how much of her being unconscious JJ got to see. "Baby girl, look at me. Look at me, Jenny."

JJ continues to ignore her, instead making it her mission to bury herself under the covers next to Emily. Emily sighs once again. "Jennifer Anne Jareau, look at me." She says in a stern but equally gently voice.

The use of her full name is enough to make JJ pull back and look at her.

"I need you to listen very carefully to me, okay bug?" JJ nods. "All right. Now, I know you're scared, I do and I am very sorry that I am the one scared you so much. But, baby, I am fine. I swear I am. Okay? I just bumped my head, that's all. All right? I'm not going to leave you any time soon, I promise."

"I'm sorry, Emmy!" The kindergartener suddenly cries making Emily blink in confusion at the change in conversation.

"What are you sorry for, Jen?"

"Because it was my fault that you fell! I wanted to play on the rocks and you fell because of it!"

"Oh, sweetheart. No, it wasn't your fault. Hey, look at me." When the younger girl obeys, Emily says, "It was not your fault. The rocks were slippery. No one could have known that. In fact, Uncle J told me that it was you who went and got help. He said you were a very brave little girl and you did the right thing, just like your mommy and daddy taught you too."

"He said that?" JJ sniffles.

"He did. He said you ran all the way to the house and told bubba that I was hurt and needed help."

"I did. I told him you felled and wouldn't wake up. I didn't like that, Emmy." The blonde says, slowly starting to calm down.

"I know you didn't sweetie. But the good thing is that I am here now and I am going to be just fine." When the blonde yawns, she adds, "Now, how 'bout we close our eyes and take a nap?"

"'Kay. Will you sing?" Emily smiles at the question she knew was coming.

"Sure, I will."

Emily sings their song and JJ falls asleep before it's over. Emily pulls the covers over them and falls asleep after watching the kindergartener sleep for a few moments. She wishes she were still 5 years old. Full of innocence and not having any idea of the bad things that happen daily in the world. Where her biggest responsibility was learning how to tie her shoes and eat with 'big girl' utensils and how to properly brush her teeth or how to put her shoes on the right feet.

The two girls sleep for about three hours and when they finally wake up, it's just after lunch time. James fixes the girls a quick lunch and then gives Emily some more ibuprofen. They go back to Emily's room where they lay in her bed and watch The Little Mermaid.

"I love you, Emmy." JJ whispers as the two watch the movie.

Emily presses a kiss to JJ forehead. "I love you, too, butterfly."

JJ doesn't leave Emily's side for the rest of the spring break spent at the beach.

* * *

 **Here it is. I wanted to establish a relationship between JJ and Tommy because I am going to be bring him in in the future chapters of Help Has Arrived.**

 **I am going to post a chapter for FitS but two. Then I will have another chapter up for this.**

 **Give me prompts. The next chapter will be a camping trip during Labor Day weekend in the same year as this one. After that I'll need a prompt.**

 **Please review!**


	6. Camping Trip pt 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Allegheny National Forests, Criminal Minds or any of the characters you recognize.**

 **Rating: K-K+. Really fluffy chapter for the whole family. Just a few spots with "scary 'bear' noises".**

 **Spoilers: None.**

 **A/N: Allegheny National Forest is a real place. I decided to go with this since, of course, Jenny, Emily and their families live in East Allegheny. Everything that I describe I got from a website about the National Forest and I have tried to get it as real and correct as possible. However, if something is missing and/or wrong, kindly point it out and I will try to fix it.**

 **A/N #2: This is a very family-friendly fluff chapter. It will be either two or three chapters long, depending on how long I have make this one and what you would like to happen during this camping trip.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Elijah: 14 years old.**

 **Rosaline: 12 years old.**

 **JJ: 6 years old.**

 **Emily: 11 years old.**

 **Labor Day Weekend. 1990. Friday. Day 1.**

Friday afternoon, as soon as the bell rings, Emily races out of her sixth grade classroom and down the hall to JJ's first grade classroom.

She waits patiently for the little blonde girl to get out. This morning, at breakfast, James talked to Emily about taking her and JJ and JJ's family camping for the weekend since it was Labor Day weekend.

Emily loved the idea. She had been camping every year since she was about three years old. She remembers her dad taking her camping a few years later, at the age of eight and a half. They stayed up late and he spent the night showing her all the stars.

She also knows though that it may take some convincing for JJ to come along. When JJ's class empties out, Emily looks in and sees JJ still at her desk working on a math sheet. Emily walks in and as she gets closer, she can see the tears on the first grader's face. She glances at JJ's teacher.

"She refused to leave until she finished the worksheet. I tried to help, but she didn't want me too. She doesn't have to finish it; it was just something I gave to occupy the kids until the bell rang." JJ's teacher, Ms. Lydia, explains.

Emily nods and brings a chair up to the little blonde's desk and brushes back her hair.

"Hey, little bug," She whispers. "What seems to be the problem?"

"I can't do it, Emmy," She answers. "It's too hard."

"Well, why don't we see what we can do about that, huh?" JJ nods. "All right. But first, why don't we head home? I bet Ms. Lydia would like to go home to her little girl and your mommy will be wondering where we are."

"No, Em, I wanna finish it now."

"We can finish it, bug; but we need to take it home, okay? Now, let's put it in your bag and head home. When we get there, we'll finish. Come on." Emily tells her, leaving no room for arguments as she puts the chair back and gets JJ's backpack. The little girl throws her pencil and paper into the bag and then puts it on.

"Good girl. Now, tell Ms. Lydia goodbye and let's go." JJ waves at her teacher and then the two head home.

* * *

 **Jennifer Jareau's house. Around 3:20 p.m. General P.O.V.**

When they arrive, Elijah is in the kitchen doing homework and Rosaline is outside practicing with her soccer ball.

James is in the living room taking with Sandy and Michael. JJ hurriedly gives her bag to Emily who hangs it up before running over to James.

"Uncle J! What are you doing here?" JJ asks after giving him a hug and kiss on the cheek.

"Hey, little bug; how was school?"

"It was good! They gave new jobs and I get to the line leader all next week!" JJ proudly announces.

"That's great, sweetheart. I bet you will make a good line leader." James lifts the first-grader into his lap. "I was just talking to your mommy and daddy about a surprise this weekend."

"Ohhh, what is it?" JJ asks, her eyes lighting up and the worries of the math paper not being finished seem to just disappear.

"Well, why don't you go get your brother and sister? That way your mom, dad and I can talk to all of you at once."

"Okay! Where are bubba and sissy?"

"Elijah is the kitchen and I think sister is outside practicing her soccer kicks." Sandy tells her and JJ's skips off to the kitchen to find her siblings. She comes back about five minutes later with Elijah and Rosaline following.

"All right, guys; come sit down, please." Michael tells his children. Elijah takes the couch while Rosaline sits in the arm chair and JJ climbs into Emily's lap.

"Now, Mr. James has something very important to ask all of you. Please listen and after we've explained everything, you can ask any questions you might have. Okay?" They all nod and Michael nods to James to begin explaining their plans.

"Okay. Ever since Emily was old enough to sleep through the night, I have taken her camping on Labor Day Weekend every year. This year however, she has met you and your family. Now, my question is, would you like to come camping with us this year? It would just be you and your mom and dad. We would probably leave sometime tomorrow morning and stay until Monday afternoon."

"We get to go campin' this weekend? Cool!" JJ cheers and Emily smiles, glad that the first grader doesn't seem put off by the fact they will be sleeping outside.

"Are we going to sleep in an actual tent?" Elijah asks.

James nods. "Yes, we are. I'm not sure how many we will need. We can figure that out later. But, I was thinking one for myself, you and your dad and then one for Rosaline and Sandy, then the smallest one for Jenny and Emily. But like I said, we can discuss that later."

"Is it just going to be us or are Aunt Amber and Uncle Jack and Aunt Maria and Uncle Caleb and our cousins going to be coming too?" Rosaline asks next. To be truthful, she doesn't really want Madeleine there because she knows the older girl will just try to scare or taunt JJ about being afraid of the dark.

"No," Sandy answers. "it's just going to be us. Although, James, didn't you say some of your family may join us?"

"Yes, but they are going to come separately and stay at a campground spot a little bit away from us." James tells her.

"There are going to be bathrooms and showers there, right?" Rosaline asks. "Because if not, then I want to stay with Uncle Jack and Aunt Amber."

"Yes, there are bathrooms at the campground. We will probably bring the RV since we will have so many people, but we'll sleep in tents and can roast hot dogs on the campfire."

Rosaline nods, satisfied with that answer.

After a few more questions, everyone decides it's time to get started on packing. James goes home with the reminder that Emily needs to come home in a couple of hours to start her own packing.

"Emmy, can you help me pack?" JJ asks as she leans back against Emily.

"Probably not, bug." She answers. "I need to go home and start packing and you need to eat and then help your momma pack your bags."

JJ sighs and slides down from Emily's lap. She waits until the older girl has stood up before wrapping her arms around her waist.

"I love you, Emmy." She says and the older girl smiles. She bends down so she can give the first grader a proper goodbye.

"I love you, too, little bug. I'll see you in the morning, okay?" JJ nods and gives Emily another hug. She kisses her on the forehead and then stands to leave.

* * *

 **That night, in JJ's room.**

After the family gets done with dinner, and everyone gets done with showers early, Michael goes upstairs to pack a bag while Elijah does the same. Rosaline is instructed to pick out bathing suits and pajamas and then to help Michael with the sunscreen, beach towels, bug spray, etc.

"Okay, sweetheart," Sandy says to JJ after packing some clothes for the young girl to wear when they go into town or go hiking at the campsite. "I need you to pick me out two different gowns and then some pj pants just in case it gets cold."

"Ok, Momma." JJ gets out her two favorite princess night gowns; Sleeping Beauty and Ariel. She then gets the pants.

"Now what, Mommy?" The first grader asks.

"Now, you pick out a stuffed animal and a blanky to take with you to sleep with. Momma's got your clothes for when we go shopping and then hiking."

"I wanna take bunny with me." The little girl says. Then she asks, "When are we going hiking, Momma?"

"Well, it just depends on how tired everyone is when we get there tomorrow. But if we get there early enough and no one is really tired, then Mr. James said we could go right after lunch time. Maybe unpack the stuff and rest for a little bit."

JJ nods, satisfied with that. Then she yawns and Sandy decides it's bedtime.

"I think it's someone's bedtime," Sandy informs her. "Why don't you crawl into bed and I'll tuck you in?"

"Aw, but I'm not even tired, Mommy." The little girl whines.

"Yes you are," Sandy says, pulling the covers back on JJ's butterfly themed bed. "You've had a long week and we will have to get up super early tomorrow. Now, go tell daddy and sissy and bubba goodnight. Then come back and I'll let you call Emily real quick."

"Okay," JJ huffs and walks out of the room. She comes back several minutes later a little bit happier than when she left and announces, "Daddy says I can bring my butterfly towel!"

"That's good, sweetie. Did you tell daddy where it is?"

"Yeah! I gived it to him and he put with sissy's _pwincess_ towel and bubba's blue and white towel." The little girl informs her, proud that she knows what her siblings' favorite towels are.

"You _gave_ it to him," Sandy corrects. "Well, I'm glad everyone has their favorite towels. Now come climb into bed and I'll let you call Emily." The younger blonde climbs into her bed and Sandy covers her up. She then hands her the phone after dialing Emily's number.

"Good night, baby. Mommy loves you." Sandy tells her. "When you are finished with the phone, put it on your nightstand. Okay?" JJ nods and Sandy turns on her bear-themed nightlight before leaving and shutting the door.

 _"_ _Hello?"_ JJ hears Emily say, causing her to beam.

"Hi, Emmy!" She greets back.

 _"_ _Hey, little bug. What's the matter?"_

"Nothing; I just called to say goodnight." JJ says, turning on her side and snuggling with her stuffed bunny.

 _"_ _Oh, ok. Well goodnight, butterfly. I love you."_ Emily says back.

"I love you, too, Emmy." She replies and then sighs. "Emmy?"

 _"_ _Yes?"_

"Can you sing me a song?"

 _"_ _Sure, I will. Are you laying down?"_

"Yes," JJ says. "Sing the sunshine song, please."

"I will," Emily assures her. "Ready?" At JJ's response, she beings singing their song.

 _You are my sunshine, my only sunshine._

 _You make me happy when skies are grey._

 _You'll never know, dear, how much I love you._

 _Please don't take, my sunshine away._

Emily listens to the younger girl breathing for a few moments before she hangs up the phone and continues packing. She knows that there is going to be a playground at the campsite, so she makes sure to pack a few of JJ's sand toys that she had left at Emily's house.

After packing swimsuits, and hiking and shopping outfits, Emily moves on to the towels and other items. James pokes his head in about ten minutes later.

"Hey, baby, Uncle Elisa said they stocked up the RV with towels and wash clothes for the bathrooms at the campsites. Your extra clothes are still in there from when we took that trip last summer. So just make sure you pack a couple of pairs of jeans and bring a jacket for when we go hiking."

"Ok, Dad, I will. I'm almost done packing; I just need the jeans and some water shoes and my tennis shoes for when we go to the playground. Are we going to go into town; maybe shop around a little?"

"We may go in for an hour or so; it just depends on how much food we need. I talk to Sandy and she agreed that we will just stock up on snacks for the trip up there; juice, water, peanut butter crackers and maybe some chips." James walks farther into the room and sits on Emily's bed.

"It will probably take around two and a half hours to get there, so we'll stop about half way and get some lunch, that way when we get there we can unpack the necessities and then maybe go hiking."

"Okay," Emily nods. "I'm almost done; I just have to get a couple more things packed."

"All right. Well, when you are finished, come downstairs and pick out a snack to bring tomorrow." Emily and James stands to leave. He makes his way out of Emily's room and back downstairs.

Emily continues packing, and once she is satisfied that she has everything she needs, she goes to the bathroom to get the necessities before going downstairs. She grabs some bottled water, juice, a couple of packages of cookies and chips, and peanut butter crackers and dumps everything into the cooler bag her dad has on the counter. She grabs some apples and plastic forks and knives and puts them in as well.

"Hey, Daddy," She calls out, walking into the living room and over to her dad who is watching some movie on TV. "I'm going to go to bed." James nods in acknowledgment and turns back to the movie. After Emily puts her bag by the door, along with her clothes and the jacket she will wear the next day, she gets her piggy bank off of her bookcase. She empties it out, getting $20 for food and other knickknacks, and sticks it in her backpack that is carrying her binoculars, a change of clothes, sunglasses and tennis shoes.

Emily glances around the room, going over her mental checklist for the third time and sighs, satisfied that she has everything. She climbs into bed and settles in for the night.

* * *

 **Hey guys! Here is part 1. Like I said, this can either be two or three parts, depending on what you want to see.**

 **Now, here is how it can go:**

 **Part 2:**

 **Choice 1: detail-out the two and a half hour trip; play games, watching movies, etc. in the RV. Get to the campsite, have a short lunch/ getting ready for the hike, a short bit _with_ the hiking and then end with a campfire.**

 **Choice 2: Skip over the driving, have a longer hike/picnic, maybe some time at the playground, end with campfire.**

 **Choice 3: Save the hiking trip for Sunday, skip over the drive, go swimming, have some time on the playground, swimming some more, and then end with a campfire and 'scary' story.**

 **Choice 4: Save the hike for Sunday, have a brief drive, rest a little bit, then have the shopping trip into town, maybe, _maybe,_ ending with a campfire and 'scary' story.**

 **Or...Choice 5: Tell me what you want to happen, how you want it to happen, etc. I'll start on a couple of ideas so it won't take so long to get it written once I know what you all want.**

 **Please review! I'll have Emily's cousins names in the next chapter. :)**


	7. Camping Trip pt 2

**Here's the new people that are going to be in this chapter:**

 **Eleanor and Eliza Benson are Emily's aunt and uncle. Eliza is Elizabeth's twin brother.**

 **Eliza has dirty-blonde hair and brown eyes. Eleanor has dark brown hair and blue eyes.** **They have three kids.**

 **Joyce Kimberly Benson, aka Joy or KB, is 14 years old. Joy has shoulder-length dirty-blonde hair and cobalt-blue eyes. She is in the eighth-grade but is on a ninth-grade reading level. Joy loves the colors pink and green and reading about different animals, but enjoys books about horses the most. She has a stuffed horse that she still sleeps with. KB received the horse from her grandmother on her mother's side on the day she was born.**

 **Alexander James Benson, aka AJ or Xander, is 8 (and ¾) years old. AJ is in the third-grade and is on a fourth-grade reading level. He has dark brown hair and hazel eyes. He loves his stuffed dinosaurs and reading about different kinds of trucks and dinosaurs, in particularly books on T-Rexes. His favorite colors are brown and green camo. AJ received a stuffed T-Rex on the day he was born from his grandmother on his mother's side.**

 **Cambrie Jane Benson, aka Camie or CJ, is 4½ years old. Camie is in preschool and is on a kindergarten reading level. She has waist-length dirty-blonde hair and dark brown eyes. She loves reading Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Sleeping Beauty. CJ loves the colors pink, purple and blue and loves all things princess. She has a hand-made doll that was given to her the day she was born by her grandmother on her mother's side.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds, the characters or the Little People Road Trip songs. I do not own the rights to the wonderful 90s McDonalds or the rights to the lovely East Allegheny National Forest.**

 **Spoilers: None.**

 **Rating: K**

 **P.S.: This is the longest chapter I have ever written for any of my stories. It is currently some where between 8,100 and 8,120 words. :D**

 **Enjoy! :)**

* * *

 **Elijah: 14 years old.**

 **Rosaline: 12 years old.**

 **Jennifer: 6 years old.**

 **Emily: 11 years old.**

* * *

 **Day 2 of Labor Day weekend. Saturday morning. 5:45 a.m.**

Early the next morning, Sandy sits in the kitchen drinking a cup of coffee. Michael is outside loading the suitcases and the cooler with the snacks into the car. She knows that Elijah is up and getting dressed, as he is usually up a couple of hours before everyone else on Saturday mornings, and she knows Rosaline is slowly getting up also.

Now all she needs to do is wake Jenny up.

Oh what fun that is going to be.

Michael comes back inside and rubs his hands together. "Wow," He comments at Sandys raised eyebrow. "It's kind of chilly out there. What is the temp supposed to be this weekend?"

Sandy puts her coffee down and walks over to the phone. "I checked the weather and it's supposed to be in the upper-forties to lower-fifties for the next few hours. But it will warm up quickly and get up to, it said maybe, the upper-sixties to lower-seventies. Perfect weather for hiking and shopping."

Michael nods and then heads over to the counter to refill his coffee. He turns and looks at Sandy who is halfway through dialing someone's number.

"Who are you calling, honey?" He asks, as he puts a little bit of cream into his cup.

"Emily," Sandy replies. "I figured she could just come over and wake Jenny up, that way we could get ready and not worry about what she is doing. Because I just _know_ that it is going to be difficult getting her up this early."

Michael looks thoughtful for a moment, "What makes you think Emily can get her to cooperate any more than we can? Especially at this hour?" He asks skeptically.

Sandy rolls her eyes and smiles at her husband, "Uh, where have you been for the last year? Have you not seen the things Emily has gotten JJ to do without argument?"

Michael just shrugs and turns back to his coffee while Sandy resumes calling Emily. Twenty minutes later, the preteen comes into the kitchen. She finds Elijah at the bar playing his Gameboy and Rosaline eating a bowl of cereal. Rosaline looks up when the door opens.

"JJ's upstairs," She says. "Mom and Dad are getting ready but they told us to leave her alone so you could get her up." Emily nods and makes her way upstairs to the youngest Jareau's bedroom. She tiptoes in and sits on the side of JJ's bed.

"Jenny," She singsongs. "It's time to wake up, bug." She whispers, getting down on her knees so she can be closer to JJ.

She sees the first-grader's face scrunch up in a I'm-really-not-pretending-to-be-asleep kind of way causing her to laugh.

"Jennifer, come on, love. You gotta get up; we're going camping today, remember?"

Jenny groans and finally opens her eyes. "I don't wanna get up, Emmy."

"I know you don't, little bug. But in about an hour we'll be on the road on our way to the campsite." Emily tells her, rubbing the little girl's back. "If you get up, you can get dressed and then go eat. How about I whip up some French toast real quick?" That suggestion makes JJ's eyes light up and she finally sits up.

Emily stands up and pulls the covers the rest of the way off of the blonde. "Come on now; we need to get up." She helps the blonde stand up on her bed. Once there, Emily brushes away the messy curls from Jenny's forehead.

"Oh, bug, we should have Frenched your hair last night. Maybe then it wouldn't be so wild this morning." Jenny giggles and throws herself at Emily. "Woah!" Emily wraps an arm around the blonde who buries her face in Emily's neck.

"Good morning, Emmy." She says and Emily returns the greeting.

"Do you want to use the bathroom before we put your clothes on?" JJ nods and Emily turns so she can give the first grader a piggy back ride to the bathroom. After JJ is dressed and fed, of course French toast, Emily French braids the little girl's hair.

"Okay, bug," The two are back in JJ's room getting her bunny and blanket. "Do you want to put bunny in this backpack?" JJ puts the stuffed rabbit in her princess bag and turns back to her toy box.

"I wanna take some Barbies, Em. Can I?" She asks.

"Well, let's only take a couple, okay? Choose two that you really want to take and put in here." Emily tells her. "You already have some crayons and a coloring book, but Uncle J will have a surprise for you in the RV and there is a playground at the campsite."

"Okay." Jenny looks thoughtful for a moment before deciding on two of her Barbies.

"Alrighty, let's see what we have in here." Emily hands JJ the backpack and takes everything out. "When I call off something hand it to me so I can put it back in here. Okay?" JJ nods.

"Alright, first I need your bunny and blanky." Jenny hands them to Emily. "Good. Now I need your coloring book and box of crayons." JJ picks up her princess coloring book and box of jumbo crayons. "Next, is your Barbie dolls and the two books that you will want to read at nighttime." JJ picks out the books _Goodnight Moon_ and _Baby Star._

"I wanna read these, Emmy." Jenny tells her, holding them up. She puts one up and holds the other up again. "But can we read this one on the RV?"

"Sure, bug. Put it in here and then zip your bag up. We're running a few minutes behind and I bet Uncle J is already downstairs." JJ slips the bag on and the two head downstairs and out the door where Michael and Sandy are loading up the last of the bags.

"Mommy! Guess what!" Jenny runs over to her.

"What baby?"

"Emmy says I can ride in the RV. Can I Momma? Please, please?"

"I guess you can, baby. But you need to listen to Mr. James or whoever is the grownup on the RV. Understand?"

"Yes ma'am! Thank you, Momma!" JJ cheers.

"You're welcome, sweetheart. Now, come give me a hug and kiss goodbye and then go tell daddy goodbye." JJ runs over to the driver side door and Michael opens it up.

"Hey, Jenny," He says. "You better climb in. We're almost ready to go." He tells her and watches as she frowns.

"No, Dad, Mommy says I can ride with Emmy in the RV. So I gotta tell you bye-bye." She pauses for a second and then announces, "Bye-bye, Daddy! Bye, sissy, bye, bubba!" She shouts to the backseat where her siblings are. They wave back and JJ runs back over to Emily who is now at the RV that had pulled up a few moments earlier.

"Emmy?" JJ says as she boards the weird looking vehicle. She was excited for this, but now she's not too sure about it. JJ looks around at all the weird, unknown faces; three grownups and three kids. One of the grownups is James and Jenny immediately runs to him.

"Uncle J!" She runs over to him. "Uncle James, I don't see Emmy. Where did she go?"

"Emily is outside helping her Uncle Eliza load up our suitcases, bug. Come sit down and she will in here in just a second. I want to introduce to some people." James leads JJ to the front where the little girl holds his hand tightly.

"Guys, listen up please. I have someone to introduce to you. This is miss Jennifer Jareau, or JJ to you all. Jenny, this is Emily's Aunt Eleanor or Ellie," He points to a woman in the passenger seats. "You'll see Eliza in just a moment." He adds

Then he points to the couch and chair behind those seats.

"These are Emily's cousins." He points to a teenager around Elijah's age. She has her hair curled and pulled halfway up. "This is Joyce Kimberly, but you can call her Joy or KB."

Next is a little boy just a few years older than JJ. "This is Alexander James. You can call him Xander or AJ. And last but certainly not least, is miss Cambrie Jane. We call her CJ or just Camie."

"Now listen up everyone," He addresses all the kids. Camie and AJ look up but KB ignores him.

"Joy, please pay attention to Uncle James," her mom says, trying to get the teenager's attention. "You can go back to your game in a moment, but right now you need to listen to what he has to say." KB sighs and looks up her uncle.

"Thank you," Her mother says. James turns to the kids now, tapping Camie's nose and saying, "JJ is new to this trip. She and her family have never gone camping at a real campsite before. So I want everyone to make them feel welcome. Okay? Show her where everything is at the campsite, make sure she gets help if needs it. Offer to maybe show her parents and siblings around to your favorite spots. But overall just make them feel welcome so maybe they will want to come back next year."

"Alrighty then," Eliza turns to the front and checks a couple of things. "James, is everyone ready to go?" James shakes his head.

"Not yet. I have to give everyone their bags." James goes to the bag for a minutes and comes back with five bags all decorated with monster trucks, animals and princesses for the Benson kids and butterflies for Emily and JJ.

"Now, in these bags are all kinds of different things," James explains. "Games, snacks, little knickknacks. Just things to keep you guys busy." After he hands them out, he takes a seat on the couch beside Camie.

"Okay everyone, take a seat and stay there until Ellie or I say it's ok to get up." Eliza says as he finishes checking everything and starts the RV up.

"Emmy! There you are; I missed you." The little girl says and Emily brushes her bangs away.

"I was right outside, silly. You could've come out there." JJ just shrugs and begins digging in her bag. "Uncle J said to stay in here 'cause he needed to _interduce_ me to some people."

"You mean 'in _tro_ duce? Well, I'm glad you listened. Now, let's see what Uncle James packed us in our bags." The girls dig around for a few minutes before JJ pulls a bag out and happily announces,

"Look! Uncle J got me Cheetos!"

"Wow! Are you gonna share those with me?" Emily asks playfully. JJ just shrugs, "Maybe. What did Uncle J give you, Emmy?" She asks instead.

Emily pulls a few things out and places them on the table that is in-between the two seats she and JJ are seated at. Camie moved over to the other side and is now playing on the couch with a new Barbie doll James put in her bag.

"Let's see, I have a coloring book and some markers. Oh, look; two puzzles, one with dogs and cats and one with all the states." She pulls out a few more things. "He got me a word search, five madlibs books: At Home, Holidays, Sports (camping), Animals (butterflies), and Around Town, and some gum." She empties out the bag. "He also got me some Cheese Puffs, snickers, mms and butterfingers."

"I wanna play with the puzzle, Emmy!" Jenny says and Emily moves everything off the table and opens up the puppy and kitten puzzle.

After a few minutes of driving, Ellie tells the kids they can get up.

"Uncle Eliza, can we listen to road trip cd?" She asks and Eliza nods. He puts the CD in and the first song on it is Wheels on the Bus.

"Oh!" AJ shouts, jumping up and grabbing Camie's hand. "We love this song. Come on, Camie! Let's sing!"

" _The wheels on the bus go round and round, round and round, round and round. The wheels on the bus go round and round, all through the town._ " AJ sings. "Your turn Cam!"

" _The driver on_ _da_ _bus_ _sayed move back, move back._ _The driver on_ _da_ _bus_ _sayed move back, move back_ _all through_ _da_ _town!_ "

"Good job, Cam!" AJ praises her. After the song finishes, the next one is Row, Row, Row Your Boat.

"Can I sing this one, AJ?" JJ asks, abandoning the puzzle.

"Sure! I'll sing it with you!"

" _Row, row, row your boat, gently down the stream. Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily; life is but a dream._ "

" _Row, row, row you boat gently down the stream. Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily; life is but a dream._ "

The CD suddenly stops singing and a little voice says, "Let's try this:

 _"One, two; buckle my shoe."_ JJ eyes light up and she joins in.

 _"Three, four; shut the door."_

 _"Five, six; pick up sticks."_

 _Seven, eight; lay them straight!"_

 _"Nine, ten; let's do it again!"_ This time AJ, Emily and even KB joins in.

 _"One, two; buckle my shoe."_

 _"Three, four; shut the door."_

 _"Five, six; pick up sticks."_

 _Seven, eight; lay them straight!"_

 _"Nine, ten; let's do it again!"_

" _Row, row, row your boat, gently down the stream. Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily; life is but a dream._ "

" _Row, row, row you boat gently down the stream. Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily; life is but a dream._ "

The adults cheer for the kids.

"What's next, Momma?" Camie asks. Ellie skips through a few songs and comes to, "Pop Goes the Weasel."

"Oh, this is my favorite song!" AJ cheers. "Come on sissy," He turns to KB. "Sing it with me. _Pleeeaase_." KB sighs and stands up, grabbing hands and turning him in a circle. "Mommy, Daddy, Uncle James, sing along!"

" _All around the mulberry bush, the monkey chased the weasel. The monkey thought it was in fun. Pop! Goes the weasel!"_

The little voice on the CD says, "Faster!" before the song speeds up just a tiny bit.

" _All around the mulberry bush, the monkey chased the weasel. The monkey thought it was all in fun. Pop! Goes the weasel!"_

"Even faster!"

" _All around the mulberry bush, the money chased the weasel. The monkey thought it was all in fun. Pop! Goes the weasel."_ This verse is sung mixed with giggles from JJ and Camie who are having a hard time keeping up. AJ is the next to go, Camie's affectious laugh causing him to giggle. One last round and the song is finished. Childlike giggles can be heard from the CD.

"What's next, Mommy?" KB asks this, surprising Emily when she calls Ellie 'mommy'. Usually, by now, she only calls her 'mom' with the very occasional 'momma'.

"Let's listen to "Ten in a Bed."

" _There were ten in a bed and the little one said, 'Roll over, roll over.'_ " KB starts the songs, letting Camie finish with,

" _So they all rolled over and one fell out!_ "

Next is AJ. He gets up and waves his arms to the tune of the song. " _There were nine in a bed and the little one said, 'Roll over, roll over.'_ "

"You're next, Cam." He whispers, and the preschooler jumps up to sing,

" _So they all rolled over and one fell out!_ "

Emily goes next, and understanding what AJ and KB were doing, sings, " _There were eight in a bed and_ _the little one said, 'Roll over, roll over_.'" Then points to Camie again who sings proudly,

" _So they all rolled over and one fell out!_ "

Emily points to JJ who sings, " _There were seven in a bed and the little one said, 'Roll over, roll over._ '" Then to JJ and Camie who both sing,

" _So they all rolled over and one fell out!_ "

"Mommy, you're next!" KB shouts, her sulled-up pouty-teenage mood finally going away.

Ellie sings, " _There were six in a bed and the little one said, 'Roll over, roll over.'_ " And points to Eliza who finishes with,

" _So they all rolled over and one fell out!_ "

It starts over with KB. " _There were five in a bed and the little one said, 'Roll over, roll over._ '" She lets Camie sing the next part again.

" _So they all rolled over and one fell out!_ " Then AJ,

" _There were four in a bed and the little one said, 'Roll over, roll over._ '" He points to Camie who is eagerly awaiting her turn.

" _So they all rolled over and one fell out!_ " JJ and Emily take it next, singing,

" _There were three in a bed and the little one said, 'Roll over, roll over._ '" And leaving,

" _So they all rolled over and one fell out!_ " to Camie who proudly sings it.

"Uncle J! Sing the next part!" JJ shouts out and James sings it along with Ellie.

" _There were two in a bed and the little one said, 'Roll over, roll over._ '" James points to Camie, who jumps and pretends her Barbie is singing,

" _So they all rolled over and one fell out!_ "

Everyone joins in for the last part: " _There was one in the bed, and the little one said, 'Good night._ '" The song ends and Camie and JJ giggle at that.

"All right, I think that's enough singing for now." Ellie announces. "How about you guys rest a bit and play with the stuff Uncle James packed you. We have about an hour and a half before we stop for lunch and then another hour and a half before we arrive at the campsite."

"Come on, lady bug," Emily points to the seat opposite of her. "You and Camie want to help me put this puzzle together?"

"Yeah!" Camie and JJ climb into the seat and, together with Emily and little help from AJ here and there, put the puppy and kitten puzzle together.

After putting together both of Emily's puzzles, one of JJ, three out of the five Camie got and two out of the four AJ got, it's time to stop for lunch. The kids all decide on McDonalds, and Eliza navigates the parking lot to get to the back so he can double-park the RV. The kids and adult get out and go in, ordering and then sitting down. Just as James is handing out drinks, Sandy, Michael and Rosaline and Elijah arrive.

"Hi, Momma!" JJ shouts from her seat and Sandy turns around from her place in line.

"Hey, baby," Sandy walks over and kisses JJ's forehead. "How was the ride in the RV?"

"It was good! We listened to songs and sang along with the songs and put together puzzles!" JJ lists off excitedly as she eats her nuggets.

"Wow! That does sound fun. What kind of songs did you sing along too?"

"We sang Row, Row, Row Your Boat and The Wheels on the Bus and Ten in a Bed!" JJ lists off excitedly again.

"Wow! Well, I'm glad you had fun. Why don't you finish eating and then you can go play for few minutes. Okay?"

"Okay, Momma." JJ finishes eating and then runs off to the playroom where Camie and James are.

"Uncle J! Watch me go own the big slide!" JJ shouts as she runs to the bigger of the two slides. She goes down, screaming as she picks up speed towards the end. By the time she gets out, AJ is now in the play area.

"JJ, let's go up in the train! Then we can go in the Playcade and ride the rides."

"But that takes tokens and we don't have any," JJ tells him.

"Yeah, but my mom and dad are buying us some. We each get five; me, you and Camie. KB and Emily are too old for the rides." AJ runs to the opening of the stairs. "Race you to the top! The first one to the train wins!" JJ and AJ run around inside the playpen, occasionally including Camie in their games of hide-n-seek and tag. Once Eliza and Ellie bring the tokens in, it takes about ten minutes for the little kids to use the tokens in the Playcade.

After another ten minutes, Camie and JJ start getting restless and KB and Elijah start complaining about wanting to leave. So the adults gather the kids up; taking them to the bathrooms and getting refills on drinks and buying ice cream. Then Sandy and Michael get in their car with Rosaline and Elijah, the rest getting on the RV. They have approximately 90 minutes before they arrive at the campsite.

James sets Emily, JJ and Camie up with a movie in the back while AJ and KB rest in the front. AJ is given the option of lying down or quietly playing with one of his puzzles and KB gets out one of the books James packed for in her travel-bag.

James talks with Eliza and Ellie about what they will do when they arrive at the campsite and what is needed for the hike they will take later in the day.

About 15 minutes into the Scooby-Doo movie the girls are watching, JJ remembers the book she wanted Emily to read to her during naptime on the RV. She gets out of bed, going to her backpack and pulling her book out.

"Camie, do you want Emmy to read you a story?" JJ asks as she climbs back into the bed and scoots over for the preschooler who nods and comes over. Camie climbs into the bed, getting closest to the wall so Emily is in-between the two girls. She opens the book and reads the title.

"…" Emily turns the page and asks. "Are you ready?" she gets two nods in return and starts reading the story.

" _Once there was a baby star. He lived up near the sun. And every night at bedtime that baby star wanted to have some fun._ " Emily shows Camie the pictures since it is her first time hearing the book. "There is the mommy star and the baby star, Cam. Can you show me where the sun is?" Camie points to the center of the page and Emily praises her. "Good job, CJ." She turns the page.

" _He would shine and shine, and fall and twinkle oh-so-bright._ " Emily reads. " _And he said, "Mommy, I'll run away if you make me say goodnight._ " JJ turns the page this time, as she does every time Emily reads the story.

" _And then his mommy kissed his sparkly nose and said, "No matter where you go, no matter where you are, no matter how big you grow and even if you stray far, I'll love you forever, because you'll always be my baby star._ " Emily shows Camie the picture of the mommy star kissing baby star's nose. Then she turns the page.

"The end." Emily whispers.

Emily gently climb out of the bed and climb into the other one after making sure Camie and JJ are covered up. She falls asleep within a few minutes and, except for being woke up ten minutes later to JJ climbing into her bed also, doesn't wake up for the rest of the ride.

About ten minutes before they actually get to the campsite, James goes to the back and wakes the girls up so they can gather their things up.

"Emmy, what are we gonna do we get there?" JJ asks as she puts her Barbies and book back into her backpack and then moves on to picking up the coloring books and crayons James bought her.

"Well, we'll probable set up the tents first. Then we will walk around and Uncle J will show you, Rosie and Eli and your mom and dad where everything is, like where the bathrooms are and the showers. And where to throw your trash away so the ground doesn't get littered."

"Then what?"

"I'm not sure, bug. We'll just have to wait and see, okay?"

JJ just shrugs and puts her backpack on.

"Alright ladies and gentlemen," Eliza starts, acting as an airplane pilot. "If you would like to look out the windows on your left and right, you will see the beautiful Twin Lake campsite. This campsite provides hot showers and bathrooms; it has a playground and a swimming hole, and provides us with three different hiking trails. Since this is JJ and her family's first time here, we are going to take the Black Cherry Trail; it is about one and a half miles long, the shortest of the three trails, and should take us no longer than 3 hours to complete. We will stop about half way and have a picnic snack that Aunt Ellie has been generous enough to pack."

Eliza maneuver the RV into their reserved spot, Sandy and Michael bringing up the back. He parks the RV, gets out and directs Michael, who is driving, to where he can park the car.

Eleanor lets the children out of the RV and AJ and Camie run around ooh-ing and aw-ing at the leaves and how 'awesome' their spot looks.

"Emmy, look! They have monkey bars at the playground! And a big slide and wall to climb! And they have a teeter-totter!" JJ shouts as she jumps up and down, pointing across the grass to a fence in playground area.

"Can we go on it, Emmy? Can we, please?" She begs, pulling on Emily's hand. Around them, Sandy and Michael are looking around, while Rosaline and Elijah get the tents out of the back of the car. Elijah begins sitting them up, Caleb having taught him how the summer before.

"Hey, James," He calls. "Where do I set up the tents? And how many do we need?"

"I'm sure just yet. Just set them all over here next to the grass. Once we get unloaded, get bathroom breaks and all that, then we can decide who will sleep in the tents and who will sleep in the RV." Elijah nods and sets out three normal tents and then JJ's small tent.

James calls everyone's attention to the middle of the concrete slab where the grill and ice coolers are being unloaded.

"Everyone, I have some more people to introduce to you. I've already ready introduced JJ, but this is her family. Her mom and dad, Sandy and Michael, or Mrs. and Mr. Jareau, and JJ's brother Elijah and sister Rosaline."

"Ros, Eli, Sandy and Michael, this is my brother- and sister-in-law Eliza and Eleanor."

"Hello, Sandy, Michael," Eliza greets. "These are our children: Joyce, Alexander and Cambrie." He points to each child who is doing their own thing; picking flowers, looking at the ants around the concrete or reading a book. "Guys, can you say hello to Mr. and Mrs. Jareau and Miss Rosalie and Mr. Elijah? They are JJ's family."

"Hi, Mr. and Mrs. Jareau and Miss Rosalina and Mr. Elijah!" Alexander calls out. "My name is Alexander James Benson, but you can call me Xander or AJ."

Michael chuckles and walks over to the younger brunette. "I'll make a deal with you, son: If I can call you Xander, then you can call me Mr. Michael. How's that sound?"

"Good!" AJ cheers.

"Well, good then. Now, I heard from a little birdie that you are an excellent helper. Would you like to help me move the cooler from my car to your RV?"

"Sure! I am a _great_ helper. Daddy says so." Michael hands AJ the cooler and the young boy rolls it over to his dad who puts it inside the RV.

"Daddy," Camie calls to her dad who is unloading the necessary things from the RV.

"Yes, princess?"

"I hafta go potty."

"Okay, let's go then," He grabs her hand. "I am taking Cambrie to the bathroom; does anyone need me to show them where they are?" AJ, Rosaline tag along with Emily bringing JJ.

After they get back, and unload the of the lawn chairs, set them up and then do the other necessary things, Eliza declares that they need to rest up for a few minutes before taking their hike. Eliza and James make the bed in the back of the RV for Sandy and Michael. Then they pull together some blankets and pillows to make a pallet in the floor, in the front of the RV, for Rosaline and KB.

James blows up one of the mattress and, after setting it up, puts it in the biggest tent for Eliza and Eleanor who lay down with AJ.

Cambrie, Emily, and JJ, who had all taken nap on the way down are allowed to go over to the playground with Elijah while the adults rest.

* * *

 **Thirty minutes later. Around 3:00 p.m. Emily's P.O.V.**

At 3 o'clock, my dad decides it's time to go hiking. So while he goes to wake the adults up, Elijah and I gather Camie and Jenny up to take them to the bathroom because there will be nowhere to go once we start the hike.

"Jenny, Camie, come on!" I yell to the two blondes over by the swings. "It's time to go to the bathroom before we go hiking!" The two come running and then the four of us go to the bathrooms. Afterwards, Jenny is over by KB talking with her. I am getting our tennis shoes out of the RV when suddenly, Jen comes running over with tears streaming down her face.

"Emmy!" she cries, slamming her body against mine almost knocking me over.

"Woah, hey," I bend down and, again, she almost knocks me over. "What's the matter, love?"

"KB says there are bears in the forest. And if we go in there, then we'll get eated." She says through her tears and I'm suddenly angry with my cousin for saying that to Jenny. I don't know why I thought she had changed; it's just like her to act this way.

I sit down on the RV steps and let Jenny climb into my lap. "Jenny, I need you to listen very carefully. Okay?" Jenny nods. I wipe away her tears and say,

"There are bears in the woods," I start and watch as her eyes widen. "But they won't bother us; not at all. And you know why?"

"Why?" Jenny asks tearfully.

"Because when they try too, they'll see your daddy, and my daddy, and my Uncle Eliza. And when the bears see all of them, they will realize they are out-numbered and run all the way home to _their_ mommies and daddies."

"Really?"

"Yes, really. Now, how 'bout we grab a jacket and put your tennis shoes on? Then we can go with Uncle James to the start of the trail and wait for the others. Okay?" She nods and climbs out of my lap. After grabbing her shoes and a jacket, we go to the start of the trail.

My dad, Uncle Eliza, Aunt Ellie, AJ and JJ's siblings are already there. I tell my dad what KB said to Jenny and he says he'll talk to her.

* * *

 **In the woods, on the trail.**

Once JJ's parents get to the trail, we start walking. There are a lot of things for the little kids to see; birds in their nests, different leaves falling from the trees, different kinds of rocks. My dad brought some blank photo albums so we can collect leaves and glue them to the pages.

"Okay, guys," My dad starts to talk. "I want you to go along the trail and each pick up eight leaves that you find. Try to get leaves from different trees, but if you can't find all eight different ones that's ok, too."

The kids all scatter; Rosaline and KB go off to the sides, looking for leaves that have fallen right under the trees, although, I don't think KB is as enthused as she seems to be. Elijah and AJ run ahead of our group and Jenny comes over to me and grabs my hand. She tells me KB apologized for what she said and for trying to scare her, but I think Jenny is still not entirely convinced that there are no bears out here.

"Emmy, will you help me look?" She asks, swinging our hands back and forth. I smile down at the little blonde-headed blue-eyed girl that has become my whole world in the year that I've gotten to know her.

"Of course. Come on, love," I pick her up even though I know I'll have to put her back down in a few minutes. "Let's go over here and look for the leaves, okay?" Jenny nods and holds onto my neck. I walk a few feet ahead of everyone else and then let her down.

"Okay, you see these trees here?" I point to the trees lining the trail. JJ nods. "They're all different from each other. So, we need to get leaves from all those trees. Okay?"

"Okay, Emmy!" Jen goes around and gets the leaves on one side while I do the other side.

A few minutes later Jenny huffs as she comes over to me. I turn around to find her standing behind me, frowning.

"What's the matter, love?" I ask and watch as she huffs again and throws down the leaves she's holding.

"These _leafs_ are all yucky! And all the good ones are on the trees and I can't reach them."

"All right," I say. "Let's go find Uncle James and see if he can help us reach." We go over to my dad ask him to help. He lifts JJ up onto his shoulders and then helps her shake the tree limbs so the leaves will fall.

As my dad and Jenny continue to shake the limbs, I go behind them a pick up the good leaves that fall. I get different shades of purple, red, orange, brown and green and different sizes.

Once everyone has their leaves, my dad takes a paper bag out of the backpack he is carrying. He has everyone dump their leaves in and then instructs us to each pick out three super-special rocks that we all want to keep.

After a little bit longer of walking, we come to an area with picnic tables that overlooks the lake.

My Aunt Ellie unloads the picnic basket while my dad and Uncle Eliza takes us to the water fountain so we can rinse the dirt and mud off of our hands.

"After you get your hands rinsed, go sit down at the picnic tables." My Uncle Eliza tells us. "Then, Miss Ellie will hand out the sandwiches and waters." My Aunt Ellie made the sandwiches in the RV in the little kitchen that it has. She made all kinds from ham and cheese to turkey and cheese for my cousins, to plain turkey and/or ham for Camie, to PB&J sandwiches. She even brought tomatoes, lettuce and pickles for the grown-ups.

"Emmy, what kind of sandwich did you get?" Jenny asks me after she and Camie pull me over to sit between them at one of the tables.

"I think Aunt Ellie made me a ham and cheese. Do you want one of the PB&J sandwiches?" Jenny nods and I stand up.

"Do you want strawberry or grape jelly?"

"Grape, please!" JJ answers and Camie yells out, " _St'awbewwy_!" I grab out sandwiches and bottles of water.

"AJ, please come and eat." I hear my Uncle Eliza say. "You may pick out rocks after, but you need to eat your snack now." Xander sighs but comes over to the table and picks his sandwich up.

I hand the girls their sandwich and then begin to eat mine. It doesn't take long for everyone to finish eating, and when we do get finished, we all throw our trash away.

We start walking again, the kids scatter and continue to pick up rocks that they want to collect and keep.

Jenny starts complaining about being tired after walking for only ten minutes and Camie is already falling asleep in my dad's arms. It only takes us about thirty minutes to walk back to the campsite, and once there, my dad and Uncle Eliza quickly set up the stuff for the campfire.

After my dad gets the fire going, Jenny's dad and my Uncle Eliza get the grill ready and starts grilling hamburgers. Camie and Jenny plead and bed with me to show them how to cook a hot dog over a campfire fire, so my dad gives us some and that is what we eat for dinner.

* * *

 **Normal P.O.V.**

After everyone gets done with their hamburgers and hot dogs, Camie and Jenny seem to get a second-wind and drag Emily, KB and Rosaline over to the playground.

The two pre-teens and teenager watch as Jenny and Camie pretend the climbing wall is a 'mountain' that they have to climb in order to escape the _allidators_ that are one the ground. Eventually though, Emily is dubbed the 'boat', the pieces of old tires that are the soft floor for the play equipment the 'water' with the 'angry _allidators_ ' and the swing set, monkey bars, and climbing wall the 'base'.

"Faster, Emmy!" JJ giggles as Emily gives her piggy bag ride across the 'water'. "The _allidators_ are gonna get us!"

"I'm going as fast as I can1' Emily giggles back. She drops JJ off at the swing set and then goes back for Camie who requests to be dropped off at the _mon'ey_ bars.

"Emmy, come push me!" JJ calls out from the swing she is sitting on. Emily comes over and jerks the swing back causing Jenny to shriek which dissolves in giggles when the older girl pokes the blonde's side.

"And what is the magic word?" She asks, to which the little girl responds, " _Pleeeeeaaaaase_!"

"All right. Much better." She begins pushing the swing, deliberately going slow. "Now, how do you want this to go? 'Slow'?" She continues at the pace she is going. "'Medium'?" She speeds up to what would be considered a normal six-year-old pace on a swing. "Or 'really, really, really fast'?" She gives a big shove that sends JJ forward causing the little girl to shriek in happiness.

"Yeah! Yeah! I wanna do 'really, really, really fast'!" Emily continues pushing her until she tires out. She then instructs JJ to do as she has taught her, pumping her legs back and forth, and then goes over to the bench on the edge of the play area. She sits there for a few minutes until she hears,

"Emmy," Camie calls out from the other side of the play area. "I am the _prwincess_ and I declare I wanna go _da_ swings!" Emily obeys, but only after Camie calls out _'pleeeeeaaaaase'_.

Emily drops her off just as JJ is deciding she wants to play tag. "Me and Camie are it! The swings and monkey bars are base!" She yells.

"Come on, Camie! You go get Rosie and I'll get Emmy! Then we can get KB together!"

"I'm gonna get you, Emmy!" JJ yells, running after Emily who takes off toward the opposite side of the play area.

Over in the distance, she can hear Rosa screaming and yelling in between laughs as she is chased by the four-year-old. Finally, though, Rosaline and Emily are caught and the four of them spend the better half of twenty minutes chasing KB, who just so happens to run track, which makes her an 'awesomely' fast runner.

"I'm gonna get you, sissy!" Camie yells out as she runs after her big sister. "The tickly monster's gonna get you!"

"Yeah, KB!" Jenny puts in. "The tickle monster's gonna get you! And am I and Emmy and Rosie!"

After a while, the adults decide it's time for a short snack of s'mores and then it will be bedtime.

"Em, look!" AJ gets his cousin's attention. "I'm the Stick Hands Monster!" He curls his fingers in 'claws' and pretends to growl at her.

"Oh, no! Not the Sticky Hands Monster! Somebody, help!" Emily pretends to be scared only to scream in surprise when she gets sprayed with some of the water from the hose Camie is using on AJ.

"I saved-ed you, Emmy!" She says proudly. Emily nods and smiles at the preschooler. "Yes, you did. Thank you for that, Camie."

Finally, after each child has at least two and a half s'mores, the adults decide it's bedtime. Five pairs of sticky-free hands later and the sleeping arraignments are being made.

Rosaline and KB, who both refuse to sleep outside, will sleep in the pallet in the front of the Rv. The biggest tent, which holds four adults or five small children, is for AJ who wants to sleep with Eliza and Ellie.

Elijah takes one of the tents, James takes another, and the medium size one goes to Sandy and Michael who both loved to sleep in their backyards as kids and are glad to relieve that part of their childhood.

Finally, the three-sleeper, which is much bigger than it seems, goes to Emily, Camie and JJ. The two back beds have been purposely left open just in case Jenny and/or Camie wakes up and wants to sleep in a bed in the middle of the night.

Goodnights are said and then everyone is in bed for the night.

Camie is out like a light as soon as her head hits the pillow. The little girl is in a Cinderella sleeping gown, sleep pants and has her hand-made doll in her arms. She is also sleeping in her Princess sleeping bag.

"Emmy?" Jenny whispers, barely being able to keep her eyes open/

"Yes, love?"

"Sing." IS JJ's simple request and the two girls get nice and comfy before Emily begins their nightly tradition.

 _You are my Sunshine. My only Sunshine._

 _You make me happy, when skies are grey._

 _You'll never know dear; how much I love you._

 _Please don't take me Sunshine away._

Within minutes, Emily can tell the younger girl is asleep, and she pulls the covers up to fall asleep also.

* * *

 **Here it is! I am so sorry for the long wait. I started about two or three different chapters for BFF v2 and have been working on them.**

 **I have a few questions for you all. These are kind of really important and I would love if every one who is reviewing could answer them.**

 **The first and most important question: Do any of you know the name of the book Emily read to Camie and JJ during naptime? I know it, but I want to see how many of you pay attention to JJ's life outside of work on the show. :)**

 **Question 2: Did you like the little bit I did with Emily's pov? Do you want more of that? And, if so, who do you want?**

 **Question 3: Did you like how I played out the hiking and RV parts?**

 **Question 4: (not mandatory to answer, but it would be really nice to know!): Give me your favorite part(s)! It could be anything like, 'I like the part where all the kids sang a part of the songs.' or 'I really liked the part where the kids collected things on the hiking trip.' or even, 'I liked how the RV/playground/hiking parts were set up'. Give the parts you hated and wouldn't want to see again!**

 **Let me know what you thought! I** **had a reviewer request me to do them singing road trip songs on the RV. Was it what you wanted?**

 **Did the hiking trip sound fun? Did you ever sing along to songs on CDs when you went camping with your friends/family as a kid? Did you collect leaves for a photo album? What kind of games did you play? (i.e. "alligators in the water"), and my favorite part, did any of you get to experience the wonders of a 90s McDonalds?**

 ****IMPORTANT****

 **Also, I have good news and bad news.**

 **The bad news is: I have decided to quit posting for a while. Like I have said before, I am a senior in high school, and right now between the weather making my head hurt and school kicking my butt, I don't have the time to be worrying about posting. And I don't want to have to worry about having a deadline to get my chapters wrote.**

 **The good news is: This does _not_ mean that I won't be writing anymore. I _will_ still be writing and I _will_ still be taking prompts. Right now, I am planning on getting JJ's 4th birthday up for BFF v2 and a very, very, _very_ short chapter up for HHA so I don't leave it on a cliff hanger any longer. Send me a PM with the name of the story and the prompt that you want. I will write them and then put them in a folder on my flash drive marked 'complete prompts'.**

 **For those of you who are still in high school or who remember what your senior year was like, then I hope you will understand the pressures it is putting me. :)** **I hope to see some prompts! Thanks!**


	8. Camping Trip pt 3

****Updated: February 2, 2017. Took away Macie and Matthew Benson.****

* * *

 ** **Here's part 3 of their camping trip. We have new people in this chapter as well. This going to have Elizabeth's older brother**** ** **and sister-in-law.****

 ** **Erick and Taylor Benson. They have three kids in total; 1**** ** **adopted and 2 biological.****

 ** **7-year-old Katelyn Ellis Benson aka Katie or Kate, dirty-blonde hair and sky-blue eyes. Kate looks like Erick and has Taylor's blue eyes. Kate's hair is also almost-ringlet curly like Taylor's is. Maddie is unusually tall for her age.****

 ** **5-year old Abigail Nicole Benson aka Abbi, has dark brown hair and blue-green eyes. Abbi hair is very long, going almost all the way down her back. It's brown like Erick's and her favorite way to wear it is in two French braids.****

 ** _ _ **18-month-old Michaela Lucille Benson. Adopted at birth.**__**

 ** **Michaela Lucille Benson aka Micha, is African-American. She is biracial; half African-American and half American. Micha has beautifully tanned skinned, with green-blue eyes and ringlet brown hair.****

* * *

The next day, everyone loads up and heads into town. First they stop at a Pizza Hut to get some pizza for lunch. Then they head over to the store to stock on food and gear for their boat ride later.

"Emmy, can we go look at the water toys, please?" JJ asks, pulling on Emily's hand.

"Sure, bug. Let's tell Uncle J first, okay?"

"Okay!" After getting James' permission to look around, Emily takes Katie and JJ over to the isle filled with pool noodles, floaties, diving toys and things to keep above and in-ground pools clean.

Emily stands at the end of the isle while Kate and Jenny explore the toys. "Em, can we get diving toys?" Jenny asks, pointing to the different colored rings.

"No, not this time, bug. We might lose them in the lake and then we won't have them anymore. Just pick out something you can lay with there." Emily walks further down the aisle and points to the assortment of different color and sizes of water guns. "Maybe, water guns or we can get a sprinkler for the campground. They have those fishing poles that you like, too."

"Hurry up, though, okay. We need to head over to where my dad is soon."

"I wanna get a fishing pole," Katie says. "Jenny, look! They have pink and purple, and green and blue, and even a red and orange one. And they have cool fishies with them. Little ones and big ones."

"Cool! We can fish just like the big kids!" Jenny beams, and she and Katie go over to the fishing poles to look around. Once

After looking for a few more moments, they pick out play fishing poles that come with fake, plastic fish. Jenny gets a purple and pink one, and Katie get the blue and green one. They also get a number of guns, orange, blue, red, green in the small ones, and a few of the larger ones.

Then they head over to the isle where James and the rest of the adults are: the lifejacket and accessories isle. James and Erick each take a group of children and get them tailored with the correct, snug-fitting lifejackets and swimming goggles that fit all of them, along with a couple of snorkelers. Then they stock on snacks and drinks, getting hot dogs and s'more supplies for later that night.

When they have all the boat supplies and food, they head over to get gifts for a few people. They'll get half the family's gifts today, the other half tomorrow on their way home.

They decide to shop for Caleb, Maria and the twins today. Kay and Ray-Ray and easy to shop for; they love to collect snow globes. They have one big collection of about six or so where they've put together the globes the received as gifts over the past few years. So, Emily takes Jenny and Rosaline over to where the snow globes are.

They get two different ones; one for Kay and the other for Rayleigh. Then they go over and help Michael and Sandy pick out a cap for Caleb and a T-shirt for Maria.

"I like this one, Momma," Jenny says holding up a blue T-shirt.

"You like that one? All right, what do you two think?" She turns to Rosaline and Elijah who nod.

"That's fine. Can we get out of here now? I'm starving and ready to get on the boat." Sandy nods and tells JJ to put the shirt in the cart before heading to checkout and then leaving.

* * *

Once they are back at the campsite, the adults split up, some getting the boat ready to be taken out while the others get the kids in their swimsuits, lifejackets, sunscreen and take them to the bathrooms. Then they are off on the boat.

There are actually two boats. One that is for the teens–KB, Eli and Rosaline, the other being for the adults and little kids. Taylor stayed behind with Michaela because she is too young to be out on the boat.

"Emmy, this is so much fun!" Jenny squeals as she bounds across the boat.

"Yeah, Emmy!" Camie agrees, holding hands with her cousins Katie and Abbi. "So much fun!" Katie comes over to Emily and grins up at her, her two front teeth missing.

"Ish your name __weally__ Emmy?" She asks, slurring her words due to her missing teeth.

"Well, Katie, my name is actually Emily, but your cousin JJ calls me Emmy as a nickname, kind of like how I call her Jenny and you are Katie."

"Oh, cool! Can I call you __sthat__ nickname __thoo__?"

"Sure you can."

" _ _Sthanks__ , Emmy. Can you come __shwimming__ with us?" Katie asks as she sits down on one of the benches.

"Yes, once we get out far enough, my dad, Mr. James, will stop the boat and we can all get in the water." And just as she said, once the boat is out far enough, James stops and the kids all jump in with Michael and Erick getting in to watch the youngest, 4-year-old Cambrie and 5-year-old Abigail.

Emily gets in with Katie and Jenny, glad that JJ took swimming lessons and doesn't need an adult there to watch her so closely.

"Emmy, watch me! I can go under water!" Jenny says, putting her goggled face in the water.

The kids have a blast playing in the water. They splash around and throw around their squishy balls, and play with the water guns. After a while, James herds the kids back up to go back to the campsite. There, they light a fire, have hot dogs and s'mores, and then Taylor and Erick take their kids back to their own campsite so the younger kids can be laid down for a nap while the older ones are allowed to go back on the lake with one of the adults.

That night James re-lights the campfire, and they have hot dogs again for dinner. Then the kids all gather around on the logs that Elijah, James, Michael and some of the other kids rolled over, for a spooky story around the campfire.

James picks a story that won't be too scary for the five and six-year-olds, but enough that it keeps the older, 'teens' of the group occupied. Cambrie and Michaela have already been put down for the night, and as Taylor comes back over with the baby monitor, he begins with the story.

"Okay, guys," James says, as the kids all have sticks with marshmallows or are eating their s'mores. "Are you ready for the story?" The kids all cheer and he starts with the flashlight turned at his face.

"This story is called __The Welcome Inn__. Once, there was a young teen named Suzy, and one summer, Suzy was on summer vacation with her mother. They had a wonderful day at the beach, playing the sad and water, laying out and getting tans. And, well, they had so much fun, that they stayed there longer than they had expected." As James begins the story, all the kids lean forward and give him their attention.

"Well, they were driving home, and it was very late at night, when a fierce thunderstorm broke out. Thunder and lightning, heavy rain and hail. Suddenly, in the middle of a big flash of lightening, they say a house with a sign that said __Welcome Inn__. Suzy's mother thought it would be a good idea to stop for the night and go home in the morning. So, they parked in front of the door, hurried up the stairs to the front door, and knocked. An elderly woman answered the door with a smile. She welcomed them into the house as if she had been expecting them."

"After enjoying a warm meal, the woman took them to a cozy room to stay for the night. Suzy and her mother slept soundly. When they woke up in the morning, the elderly woman could not be found. They decided to leave some money and a thank you note on the front hall table and be on their way. A few miles down the road, they stopped for gas. While paying for the gas, Suzy's mother told the station attendant about the wonderful night they had spent at the Welcome Inn." James pauses here, and Katie pipes up.

"What did the man say, Uncle James?"

"Well, at first, the man just gave them an odd look. Then, he told them that twenty years before, the Inn had burned down, and the woman who owned the Inn was trapped inside, and died. So, not believing this, Suzy and her mom went back to where the Inn was at….and you know what they found?"

"What? What did they find, Uncle James?" Abbi asks.

"They found a sign that had been burned, and the shell of the house. Where the front hall had been, there was an old, broken and partly burned table. And on the table was…"

"…the money and thank-you note Suzy's mother had left that morning." James goes quiet and suddenly everyone is talking at once.

"But, Uncle James! If there was no house, how did Suzy and her mommy stay there?" and "That can't happen! Maybe the ghost made Suzy and her mother __think__ they were staying at the house." and even, "I bet Suzy and her mother were lyin'! Maybe they lied to the man at the gas station! And, maybe, they put the money and thank-you card on the table when they went back!"

James holds up a hand, and everyone quietens down. "Now, I think it's bedtime for you kids. Here is what I want you to do. Okay?" Everyone nods, listening attentively. "I want everyone to think about the story. And, tomorrow when we have lunch, you guys can tell me what you think happened in the story. Do you think Suzy and her mother were imagining things? Did they lie? Did they actually stay at the __Welcome Inn__? Does that sound good to everyone?"

The kids agree with that plan, and then the adults help them clean their mess up. After bathroom breaks and 'goodnights', the families part their ways and head to bed.

* * *

 **Here is it. Sorry for the long wait. Please review! Give me about 5 for the next chapter! :)**

 **I have the next chapter about half way done and I will have it up a lot sooner than this one.**

 **Next up: _Ski trip to Colorado for Christmas._**


	9. It's Cold Where We're Going

**Disclaimers: I do not own the characters of Criminal Minds, or the rights to Monarch Mountain and Monarch Magic Lodge.**

 **Spoilers: None.**

 **Rating: K+**

 **A/N: This particular skiing Lodge has passes for 5** **th** **and 6** **th** **graders to ski for free for a certain number of days and get lessons for free. But since I don't have any in 5** **th** **grade, I made imaginary 1** **st** **, 2** **nd** **, and 7** **th** **Grade Passports. That will take care of most of the kids.**

 ** _1_** ** _st_** ** _and 2_** ** _nd_** ** _Grade Passport:_**

 **Jennifer Jareau, Kayleigh & Rayleigh Scott**

 ** _6_** ** _th_** ** _and 7_** ** _th_** ** _Grade Passport:_**

 **Emily Prentiss, Rosaline Jareau, Madeleine Jareau.**

* * *

 **Elijah: 14 years old.**

 **Madeleine: 12 years old.**

 **Emily: 11 years old.**

 **Rosaline: 11 years old.**

 **Kayleigh/Ray-Ray: 7 years old.**

 **Jennifer: 6 years old.**

 **Elena/Brea: 5 years old.**

* * *

 **December 20** **th** **, 1990.**

Right now, the Jareau and Prentiss families are loading up their suitcases. All through the week, the kids were packing their bags, snowsuits, snow toys and everything else, while the adults loaded the Christmas presents, tree and Christmas decorations into a trailer, (a surprise none of the kids knew about).

They are going to spend the two-week Christmas break skiing in Colorado and everyone cannot wait to head out at midnight. James offered to help buy their tickets–paying for ¾ the price–so the kids could experience first-class on an airplane.

Of course, Sandy, Michael and the other parents protested for days, saying 3/4 was way too much and that they could settle and be perfectly fine with normal tickets. James argued back that this would be the first Christmas the Jareau family celebrated away from home and every single moment should be a memory, including the First-Class tickets. Finally, they all agreed. Now, they have seven adult and nine children First-Class airplane tickets the cost coming to about $56,000.

Because it had been snowing so hard earlier in the evening when James picked Emily and Jenny up from school, he didn't even bother going to the extra three blocks to the blonde's house. Instead, he pulled right into his own driveway and then called the Jareaus from inside the house. And because she is so young and tiny, and her clothes already being packed, Sandy told him to keep her there.

So, for the rest of the evening, Jenny helped Emily pack the rest of her clothes. Then, James called his good friend David, who owns a snow plow, and David took Jenny and Emily for a ride to the grocery store. James gave them a list of items they needed, and some money, and off they went. And they arrived home with plenty of snacks for the plane ride.

"Emmy, are we gonna get to see snow at the Lodge?" Jenny asks she sits on Emily's bed in the older girl's room.

"You betcha, bug. We'll see all kinds of snow."

"And can we build snowmans?"

"Yes, we'll get to build snowmen, and snow forts and we can have all kinds of snowball fights right in our backyards."

"Yay! I can't wait!"

* * *

 **Around midnight. December 21** **st** **, 1990.**

After packing up all the necessities, the Jareau and Prentiss family head off to the airport around 11:30 that night. They pile into the airport, check in, go through security, and then head to the waiting area.

Their flight takes off at exactly 1:15 and everyone is thankful that the snow has stopped just enough that maybe– _fingers crossed–_ the flight won't be delayed any. The youngest kids, Elena and Brea, fall asleep in Jack and Caleb's laps after about ten minutes of looking out of the window, while the oldest, Elijah and Maddie, catch up on their reading for school.

Emily brings Jenny and the twins, (Kay and Ray-Ray over to the window so they won't bother Rosaline who is also resting on a couple of chairs. Emily had convinced Jenny to take a nap earlier, and now the little blonde has gotten her second wind and is eagerly chatting about the 'big _gigantic_ planes' that she sees outside the window with Kay and Ray-Ray.

"Let's count the planes." Emily suggests. "Let's do it together. Ready?" She points to the ones lined up. "One…two…three…"

"Now, let's count the ones that are taking off. Ready? One…two…three…four…" This goes on for a while before the window is no longer entertaining. Emily herds the kids back to the chairs.

"Let's color for a while, okay?" Emily says.

"Okay, Emmy!" JJ digs around in her bag ad gets out a few coloring books, handing one to Kay and Ray-Ray. "I have Christmas ones, and a winter one. Emmy, can you help color a picture?"

"Sure, bug. Pick out a page and get your crayons out."

"Em, We're gonna color Frosty and a Christmas tree!" Kayleigh says, with a big grin. "See? I'm gonna use green for the tree, and red, blue, purple, and yellow for the lights!"

"Cool. When you get done, you can put it back inside the bag, okay?" Kayleigh nods and the girls go back to coloring.

They have extra special coloring books; Christmas and Winter. The Christmas books has the normal stuff; Christmas trees, presents, wreaths, fireplaces with stockings, Santa Clause, etc. while the Winter books have snowmen, skiing, sledding, hot chocolate, etc. in them.

Finally, after waiting for what seems like forever, and them being delayed for almost two hours, their gate number and First Class is called to board the plane. After everyone is situated and the plane is in the air, the kids are allowed to bring out their toys or books, or they curl up and take a nap.

* * *

 **Monarch Mountain. Mountain Magic Lodge. Denver, Colorado. 8:30 a.m.**

The Jareau and Prentiss families stay at the Mountain Magic Lodge. James rented three cabins for them. Each cabin has two stories, 3 bedrooms and 2 baths, and sleeps up to six people.

The adults split up. Sandy and Michael take one cabin. Elijah and Rosaline stay in the room with two beds and Madeleine sleeps in the last one. Caleb and Maria stay with Jack and Amber in the second cabin. The last bedroom holds Breanna and Elena. The third cabin holds James, Emily and Jenny in a bedroom with Kay and Ray-Ray in the last.

The Monarch Mountains open at 9 a.m. and the adults agree to sleep for a few hours and get up around noon for lunch. Since they flew First Class, everyone was able to get a decent amount of sleep during the 3 hr. 45 min. flight. They agree to sleep till noon and get some lunch before heading out to explore where they will be staying for the next two weeks.

 ** _*Cabin 5* *Sandy and Michael*_**

"Mom! Why do I have to sleep in a room with Elijah? I'm a girl! I need my privacy!" Rosaline complains as she comes down the stairs to the kitchen in their cabin. She casts a glare in Elijah's direction and he just holds his hands.

"Hey, don't look at me. It's bad enough I don't have any guys to hand out with, now I have to spend two weeks in a cabin with my parents and two teenage girls." He turns to Sandy and Michael who are putting the left over bottled drinks and snacks from the "snack backpack" in the fridge.

"Why can't Maddie and Rosaline share a room so I can have mine to myself?"

Sandy looks thoughtful at that, and turns to Maddie.

"Madeleine, sweetie, is that all right with you? Rosaline sharing your room?" Madeleine shrugs and nods.

"Yeah, sure. We can paint each other's nails and talk about how gross your brother is!" Rosaline cheers and she and Maddie run to the bedroom that is Madeleine's.

After sleeping for about three and a half hours, the kids and adults bundle up and head to where the ski lessons are being taught and get ready to have some fun for the next two weeks.

* * *

 **So, here it is. Something short and sweet. I'll try not to have the next chapter take so long. I think I have about 2/3 of it done.**

 **I am going to try to update everything if I can. If it's been updated within the last month or so, then it will be a while before I'll do it again. I am moving over to my _Fictionpress_ account; _Breyton2015_ and I am going to be working on those stories.**

 **I will be taking down and re-doing my story When Will Help Come? on that account, so if you would like to go over, and wait and read, then please do!**

 **It looks like the stories I will be updating on here are:**

 **Vacation Time** **BFF (v2) -hopefully, because I have the chapter 2/4 done**


	10. Ski Lessons and Christmas Cookies!

**Here is part 2 of the ski trip. There's going to be about three more chapters, Christmas, free day, and New Year's Day/Elijah's 15th birthday.**

 **Enjoy! :)**

* * *

 **Later that day.**

After going out to ski shop and stocking on the appropriate ski wear; thermal underwear, thermal socks, intermediate layers, ski pants, etc., and getting bundled up, they get directions to where the ski lessons are being taught from the lodge owners, then head there. When they arrive they check in with the instructors.

The kids that are in elementary and middle school, Jenny, the twins, Emily, Rosaline and Maddie, all get Ski Passports. Jenny and the twins get 1st and 2nd Grade Passports that allow them to ski for free and also get free skiing lessons, as do Emily, Rosaline and Maddie who get 6th and 7th Grade Passports for the same things.

So, while they go off with their own instructors, the adults plus Elijah, and Elena and Brea stay together in a group.

First, the instructors make sure everyone is bundled up in appropriate ski wear. Then they get everyone fit everyone with the right size of skis, bindings and boots.

They have trained professionals that make sure the bindings are just the right amount of tight and loose.

"Marcus, I need a couple of small kid helmets as well as 7 adult helmets and 1 adult medium." An instructor who introduced himself as Bill says to another man. After everyone is fitted with the appropriate ski wear, and have goggles, sunglasses and the right kind of poles, gloves and mittens, they head to the shop that is on the mountain.

Marcus and Bill lead the way. The other Jareau kids are already there.

"Hi, Momma!" JJ says excitedly. She and the twins along with Maddie, Emily and Rosa already have baskets full of things that their own instructors told them they needed.

"Hi, baby. Are you having fun so far?"

"Yep! We came here to get the extra stuff we forgot. Mr. David is going to buy us hand warmers, boot warmers – those are like hand warmers, just for your feet! – and he said we can even pick out walkie-talkies so we can talk to you and daddy, and bubba and everyone else!"

"That's very cool, baby. I'm proud you're weren't having fun so far." After a few more minutes, everyone has sunscreen and lip balm on, along their hand and boot warmers. They then leave to go back to their lessons.

The first thing they learn is all about the safety of skiing. How to stand properly, how to push off, how to stop the skis, etc.

After they are all taught, they go to the beginner's terrain, where a big, green circle is.

"All right, kiddos," The little kids' instructor, David, says. "Is everyone ready to start skiing!?" He asks enthusiastically and is met with equally excited yells of "yeah!" and "yes!"

The first group of kids to go down the tiny slope are aged 5-7 years old. Some have their parents with them, others, like Jenny and the twins, have their personally assigned ski instructors with them.

The day is spent going down the hill. They learn to push off, how to stand to keep from falling over and how to stop.

"Did you see us, Emmy!" Jenny squeals as she comes barreling up to Emily and Maddie with Kay and Ray-Ray.

"I saw, bug. You guys were so good! You looked like professionals out there!" And it was true. It seems like the younger the kids were, the faster they picked up and retained the instructions or tips on skiing.

"Did you hear that, sissy? We looked like professionals!" JJ turns to Rosa and beams. Rosaline smiles back. "I did see, Jen. You guys were good. Good job, Kay. You and Ray-Ray were so good, too." The twins beam at the attention and turn to watch the bigger kids go down the mountain.

Elijah is able to get all the way down with no problem, but Rosaline wipes out halfway and the ski instructors have to go get her.

"Crap," Emily hears him mumble as she comes over to him where he's standing with the crowd.

"What happened?" She asks in astonishment. "She was doing just fine when I looked back!"

"I guess she turned wrong or something." Eli mumbles. "I don't know. She just wiped out; I hope she isn't hurt too bad. Mom and Dad would freak."

Rosaline comes limping back up and sits on the bench. The on-site nurse takes a look and it seems to be a minor twist. Nothing some ice and elevation won't help and she'll be good as new by the time they leave.

"Come on, Jay." Emily calls out. "Let's go down a couple more times. It's getting cold and almost time for lunch. We can go back to the cabin and have hot chocolate."

* * *

 **December 23rd, 1990. Day 3.**

The rest of the 22nd was spent resting in-front of the fireplace, roasting marshmallows and just kicking back. The kids, and adults, were all worn out from their day of skiing and being on airplane. So, the next day, the 23rd, in anticipation of Christmas Eve and Day and Santa coming, the Jareau and Prentiss' decide to spend the day making Christmas cookies and candy, and decorating the Christmas tree that James' brother and sister-in-law (who are staying at a different lodge) brought and dropped off during the day yesterday.

At breakfast this morning, the kids all settled on Chocolate Chip, Sugar, and Snickerdoodle cookies, and various kinds of Christmas candy. They are all going to make the cookies from scratch, so the adults make a list for the cookies.

Then they head to the grocery store where they spend a good two to two and a half hours buying groceries.

 ** _*Back at the lodge, James*_**

"All right, kids. Listen up." Amber says taking charge. "I want everyone to go wash their hands and come back here. Be ready to help, listen and be in good spirit about this. Go on! Chop, chop!" As the kids run upstairs, Maria finds an all-Christmas radio station and turns it up. The kiddos run back in just as _Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer_ begins playing.

"Okay, first we are going to make Snickerdoodles! We are going to make 2 batches of twelve cookies. That means four of you can have a bowl each. Who wants to be first?" Both sets of twins immediately raise their hands. Amber goes to El and Brea to help them while Maria goes to Kay and Ray-Ray. Rosie and Maddie volunteer for the other two.

"Momma, I wanna help Emmy with the Chocolate Chip cookies!" After everyone gets the kids set up at separate tables and gives them enough ingredients, they start in on the cookies. They'll need all three ovens, so the adults will each go to a cabin to bake the cookies, stay there and then set them up too cool.

"Here, Jen. Add this cup of chocolate chips to this bowl. Then do the same with the other two bowls, okay?" Emily instructs her, giving her the measuring cup of chips. Even though they are making several kinds of cookies, they are making 3x the amount for Chocolate Chip because it's a family favorite and it always is the fastest, and first, to go.

"Can I eat some, Emmy?" JJ asks, grinning innocently.

"Sure, but only a few, okay? So we have enough and you don't get in trouble." After the cookies are mixed, Sandy comes over with a spoon.

"Good job, girls. This looks really good. Now, I want you to take this spoon and scoop out some dough. Make sure the scoops aren't teeny tiny, but not too big either, all right? And put twelve on each pan. When you get a pan filled up, call me over and I will put them in the oven."

"I wanna do some, Em. I helped before." Emily hands her the spoon, watching the first grader carefully fill the spoon with cookie dough and then put it on the pan. She does this a few more times before Emily has to help her, but overall she fills the pan on her own, earning herself a high-five at the end.

"Good job, bug. Now let's call your Momma over and let her put these in."

 ** _*Amber, twins, Maria*_**

"All right, who wants to crack the eggs?" Maria starts, after measuring out the sugar, shortening and baking soda.

"Me, Momma!" Kayleigh shouts. "I'm a good egg-cracker!" She takes the two eggs and cracks them against the bowl, almost completely breaking them open with only one hand.

"This is a lot of stuff to put in the cookies." Ray-Ray says, eyes. "How do all of'em make Snickerdoodles?"

"Well, let's taste them and see what each thing tastes like. Then, we'll add them all together and see what they look like mixed in with each other." She points to a few measuring cups and spoons. "Here, we have 1 ½ cups of sugar, ½ cup of shortening and 1 teaspoon of baking soda. Let's taste the sugar first." Maria gets out a tiny spoon, putting an even tinier amount of sugar on it.

They taste it, Kay's eyes lighting up. "Oh! That's tastes good, Momma! Like candy." They continue this way, tasting the ground cinnamon, flour, a little bit of egg and the shortening. Everything has a one-of-kind taste; sweet, sour, tart, and " _gro-oss!"_

Maria adds in the rest of the ingredients and mixes them together, letting the twins spoon them out onto a baking sheet. "We're done, Momma! Are you gonna bake them now?"

"Yes, I am. Then we can get the chocolate chip cookies in. What kind do you guys want to leave Santa tomorrow? Chocolate chip or Gingerbread?" the kids agree on Gingerbread and Amber gets out the stuff to make them. Afterwards, when half the cookies are cooling, she sets the little kids up with gingerbread cookie cutters and the decorations.

The older kids help clean up and then meet up with some friends they met yesterday and head out to go skiing.

"Okay, if you are done with your gingerbread, I want you to raise your hand. An adult will come around and put you cookie on a plate. Then it is going to be set on the stove. If you would like to do another, please keep your hand up after your cookie is taken away." Amber tells them. About five hands go up, Kayleigh, Brea, and Elena keeping theirs in the air.

The others vote to watch a movie in the living room.

"El!" Kay squeals as her baby cousins comes to sit beside her. "What kind of gingerbread man are you gonna make?"

"Blue!" Elena answers as Breanna nods in agreement. She and Elena are in a stage where they want to do everything together. They both have the same favorite color, princesses, toy, and they both insist on dressing alike. Amber and Jack are anxious to get past this stage, and into the "independent" stage they hear so much about from other parents of twins.

"Cool! I'm gonna do pink and red and green!" The girls set out on decorating, Elena and Brea needing more help than Kay because they have are still in preschool and Kay has been learning to write the past few months.

* * *

 **Here it is! I am updating all my stories at once, so make you go check out my other CM and PLL stories! BFF (v.2), Fun in the Sun, etc. are being updated! :)**

 **P** **lease review and let me know what you thought. Sorry I didn't go into much detail with the skiing. I know nothing about it and couldn't find any instructions or details for the skiing part**

 **Next up: _Christmas Eve/Day_**


	11. Christmas Eve & Christmas Day

****Just a short and sweet chapter. Doesn't really stay in one spot very long.****

 ** **Disclaimers: I don't Criminal Minds, or its characters.  
**** ** **Rating: K  
**** ** **Spoilers: None.****

 ** **A/N: From now on, when I mention "the little girls" I mean JJ, Elena, Breanna, and Ray-Ray & Kay collectively as one group.****

 ** **Enjoy. :)****

* * *

 ** **Christmas Eve, 1990. Day 4.****

Christmas Eve comes fast, and the kids are all up and in the main lodge ready to decorate the Christmas tree and hang the stockings, decorations, and lights up.

"All right, everyone, the tree is up. Big kids, you can start helping us put the ornaments up that are breakable or expensive, and little kids, you keep making those beautiful ornaments."

When James' family members dropped the Christmas tree off, they also dropped off a box of Christmas ornaments that Sandy, Michael and the rest of the adult Jareaus packed up before leaving. They each packed a small box of the ornaments they wanted to decorate the tree with, and then brought the boxes over to Sandy and Michael's house where they then transferred them over to a larger, clear plastic box.

Earlier, they had handmade garlands out of cranberries, popcorn and other festive food. Right now, the younger kids are hand making Christmas ornaments; Gingerbread men they have decorated, tree, star and Christmas wreath-shaped pieces of construction paper, as well as Angel and star shaped cookies that have been made specially to hang on trees.

"What do you guys think?" Sandy asks the group after she, Elijah, Rosaline and Maddie get the popcorn garlands around the tree.

"It looks very nice," Jack says. "Mads, you wanna help Aunt Sandy do the cranberry garland, or do you want to help mom hang up some of the ornaments you made back in preschool and kindergarten?"

Maddie's eyes light up and she smiles. "You brought them? Yeah, I wanna help!" She hurries over and they spend the next few minutes picking out the ornaments. Then she helps Amber put them on the tree. They put some normal "ball" ornaments on the tree also along with ones Rosa, Elijah and the little girls have made in preschool/kindergarten.

Once the little girls are done with their own ornament making, they hang them up and the tree is officially finished since it came pre-decorated with rainbow Christmas lights. The adults then allow the kids to hang their stockings over the fireplace. Maddie, Rosaline, Elijah, and Emily hang their stockings across the front. Maddie has pink, Rosaline has purple and Elijah has green.

Down the left side of the fireplace, Brea, Elena and JJ hang their stockings. The twins have hot pink stockings, and JJ has a lighter version of Rosaline's purple one. Down the right side, Kay and Ray-Ray hang theirs, along with James' (per request of Kay & Ray-Ray). His is dark blue whereas Emily's is light blue, and Kay and Ray-Ray have matching ones just like El and Brea, except theirs are purple not pink.

On the wall to the right, Amber, Sandy and Maria hang theirs, (Sandy has red, while Maria and Amber have variations of red/pink). On the left wall, Jack, Caleb, and Michael's go up. They have brown, dark red, and dark blue respectively.

Everyone has their name hand-stitched onto the top of the stocking, with some having nicknames.

"Well, we have the tree and the stockings hung. Now all we need is string the lights up around the doorways and the banister of the stairway." Amber says, and everyone quickly gets to work. They soon have the place adorned in lights and decorations. They even take a couple of kids to each of the other cabins and decorate with lights to make them more festive looking.

For the rest of the day, the kids and adults just chill out. The skiing lodge isn't open until a few days before New Year's, so they have to make do with being at their cabins. After lunch, the kids have a short stint outside, making snowmen and having snowball fights, before they get too cold and come in.

Also after lunchtime is Elena and Brea's naptime (them being the youngest). The little girls all pile into the master bedroom because it is the only other room besides the living room downstairs that has a TV. They find __How the Grinch Stole Christmas__ on the TV, and watch that until they fall asleep.

 ** _ _ ***Downstairs***__**

Downstairs, the adults and teens gather around the TV and watch as the weatherman talks about the rapidly falling snow outside.

Amber and Maria come back with cups of hot cocoa and coffee, asking what they missed. "Oh, it's just saying that we may get a lot more snow than predicted tonight and tomorrow. We may not even be able to get out and to anywhere as early as later this evening." Sandy informs them.

"Do you think we should bring the ham and turkeys, and everything over from the other cabins?" She continues, knowing they were initially going to make the ham, turkey, casseroles, other foods, etc. at each of their cabins, before bringing it over to this one for Christmas Day lunch and dinner.

"Yes, that seems like the reasonable thing to do. A few of us adults can go out and get some more blankets, pillows, and the food from the cabins, while a couple more go out and get some candles and flashlights, and a few extra air mattresses in case the power goes out."

The others agree, bundling up and heading out while James stays in the cabin.

* * *

 ** **Christmas Day, 1990. Day 5.****

It turned out to be nothing more than a few feet of snow after all. However, because of those extra feet, everyone was stuck in the main cabin because they couldn't even open up the door the next morning.

After a big lunch and, later on, an even bigger dinner, the kids and adults gather around the tree to open presents. That morning, the kids had come down to see what Santa had left them. They didn't get a lot of stuff from him this year since they weren't at home, and in their stockings they had each received a bag of candy, new toothbrush, some Christmas stickers and tattoos, and a new puzzle.

Under the tree were bags for each child. They received a new coloring book and box of crayons, a pad of stickers and a Pez dispenser. The older kids got word searches, Mad Libs, crossword puzzles and a puzzle each.

Now, after passing out all of the presents, the kids begin to open them.

The older kids, being teenagers or almost teenagers, got new clothes, and Elijah received a new game for his Gameboy. He also got a couple of new books he'd really been wanting, and, since he is older now, an expensive new watch. Also, the little girls piled together and got him a complete outfit. New shirt, new jeans, a pack of socks, a sweatshirt with the East Allegheny logo, and a new pair of shoes.

That's all he got though, because his birthday is next week and the family divides his presents up between Christmas and birthday; half for Christmas, the other half for the birthday.

Kayleigh and Rayleigh get matching clothes because they love to dress up alike. Elena and Brea, however, do not. So, while they may get just a few pieces of clothing, like a shirt or sweatshirt, that are alike, they are in different colors, patterns, etc.

JJ gets a new outfit for school. She gets blue shirt that make her eyes pop, a pair of jeans she's really wanted and some "fancy" socks that have crazy patterns on them.

Then, Elijah, Rosaline and JJ get a matching out of a shirt, sweatshirt and jeans. Madeleine and her sisters get the same just in a different color and design and it will be the __only__ exactly alike think in Brea and Elena's closet. Emily gets a new book, a gift card to her favorite store (so do the other older kids), a new outfit for school and some new socks and pajamas.

The twins, Kay and Ray-Ray, both get a Rubik cube, and El and Brea get a brand new box of markers.

"Emmy, look at my yo-yo!" She pulls a blue yo-yo out of her "fun pack", which is considered the "big" presents for all the kids. They have little storybooks, coloring books, markers and/or crayons, yo-yos, Rubik cubes, Mad Lib puzzles, etc. in them

"That's cool, bug. Did everyone get a yo-yo in their bag?"

"Yeah! I got a pink one and Ray-Ray got a purple one." Kayleigh grins. "Elena and Brea got one, too. Elena got a red one and Brea got to the orange one. They all light up! Lookie!" Kayleigh shakes the package and the yo-yo lights up.

"Daddy, can you up mine, please?" Jack takes the package, opening it. He hands the yo-yo back along with the trash. "Go give the trash to mommy, and let her put it in the bag, all right?"

"Okay! Thanks, Daddy!"

"Mommy, look!" Elena holds her up and shakes it. "It's red and lights up."

After the little girls' packages are opened up, the bigger kids try to teach them how to use it properly, but mostly they just end up entertaining them with their own yo-yos.

"Watch, guys." Rosaline says. She does the "walking dog" with the yo-yo.

"Woah! That's so cool, Rosie! Show me! Show me!" Kayleigh says, jumping up and down.

"All right, bring yours over here. Now, Kay, you have to listen carefully, okay? So turn your listening ears on and your mouth off." For the rest of the day, the kids play with their toys and watch Christmas movies. Since it's Christmas, the little girls skip their naps, and are allowed to bring down their sleeping bags, pillows and blankets to make a fort in the living room. They stay there, putting puzzles together, playing with the yo-yos, giving each other tattoos, and coloring with their new crayons and books.

All in all, the Jareau and Prentiss family have a wonderful Christmas spent, for the first time ever, somewhere beside their own home.

* * *

 **Here it is! Please review and let me know what you thought.**

 **Next Up: _New Year's Day, and Elijah, Ray-Ray, and Kay's birthdays._**

 **The next chapter will also be the last of the ski trip. It will be short and sweet, no present opening or anything, just some confetti-popping for New Years, and then cake and ice cream for the birthdays.**

 **After that, I am open to more prompts. If you want a holiday chapter from BFF extended (July 4th, Thanksgiving, or Christmas), just let me know which chapter and what you want me to extend on! Or if you want a surprise chapter, I have one in mind. Let me know so I can get started. :)**

 _ **Regular Holiday  
**_ _ **Extended Holiday  
**_ _ **Surprise chapter**_


	12. January 1st, 1976 & 1983

****This is the surprise chapter as requested by**** ** _ _ **102000QP**__** ** **.****

* * *

 ** **Disclaimers: I do not own Criminal Minds or the characters. I do own all characters you do not recognize.  
Spoilers: None as of yet.  
Rating: T to be safe. Moms giving birth, but nothing too graphic.****

 ** **Note: I am finally realizing that maybe I should have gone with different names for Kayleigh and Ray-Ray. I am not fond of rhyming twins names at all now that I know a little bit more about baby names. However, it's too late to change, so we are sticking with Kayleigh and Rayleigh.****

 ** **Note 2: This story is being told to Kay and Ray-Ray who are turning 8 years old, and Elijah, who is turning 15 years old.****

 ** **Enjoy! :)****

* * *

 ** **December 31**** ** **st**** ** **, 1975. 11: 59 p.m. General Hospital.****

"Come on, baby." Michael coaches his wife. "Come on, you can do it. Just one more push, and we'll get to meet our son." Sandy sighs as she falls back against him.

"I can't Mic. I can't do it. I'm too tired." But Michael is already shaking his head.

"No, baby, you can. I'm so proud of you. You've done __so great__ so far. One more big push, and he'll be here. Come on, love, give us one more push." And with his coaxing, she does, and the new parents and doctors and nurses hear a sound that can never be counted as a bad one.

" _ _Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!__ "

Sandy falls back against the bed, laughing and panting at the same time. Michael goes to cut the cord as the doctor announces:

"Congrats, mom and dad, you've got a baby boy!" The doctor hands the baby to the nurse to be weighed, and checked on.

Michael Jareau steps back up to his wife, and gives her a smile. She looks worn out, her hair sweaty and sticking to her forehead. Regardless of this, he couldn't be more proud of her.

The nurse hands her their baby, and she sniffles, looking up at her husband. "Look what we made." She whispers, gazing down at her baby boy. He is a healthy and happy baby, weighing in at a massive 7 lbs. 8 ounces, and has strikingly blue eyes and a head full of dark, curly hair.

"Have you two picked out a name yet?" The nurse asks, and Michael looks at Sandy. She nods. As she goes to answer, the doctor suddenly interrupts.

"Oh, look, everyone," He points to the clock, which reads: 12:02. "What a way to ring in the new year, huh?"

Sandy lets out a breathy laugh as she look back to her baby."Yes, it is.. Welcome to the world, and Happy New Year, Elijah Cameron Jareau."

"Elijah," The nurse smiles. "What a handsome name." Michael and Sandy are occupied for what seems like hours, just gazing down at their baby. Finally, Sandy remembers that they have family members in the waiting room.

"Honey," She whispers. "Why don't you go tell everyone baby Elijah has arrived so they can go home and get some sleep?" Michael nods, and leaves the room. He goes to announce the arrival of their beautiful baby boy, and gets congratulations, before everyone heads home for the night.

Before everyone settles for the night, Michael and Sandy are informed they get to have their picture taken and put on the "New Year Baby Wall of Fame" that features families of all sizes who's baby or babies were born on January 1st, and within ten minutes of the New Years.

Elijah Cameron Jareau joins six other babies, four of which are multiples -three girls, one boy whose parents got a surprise baby after delivering their baby girls, born at 12:01, 12:03, 12:04, and 12:08 respectively-, another boy, born at 12:05, and a baby girl, born at exactly 12:00 a.m.

* * *

 ** **7 years later. December 31**** ** **st**** ** **, 1982.****

Seven years have gone by in the blink of an eye. Elijah Cameron is no longer little, but instead, a big, 6-year-old boy. He's in the first grade, is missing both his front teeth, can recite and write the whole alphabet, knows his numbers up to 150, and can even read on an advanced first-grade level.

Today, it's just minutes before midnight, which technically means he's still 6. And while he __should__ be in bed fast asleep, he and his family are at the hospital, eagerly awaiting the next two members of their family.

He's not alone this time, though. Since Elijah has been born, he's gained a cousin, little Madeleine Christine Jareau. She is currently 4 years old, turning 5 in April. And a baby sister two years after he was born, Rosaline Alexandra Jareau who is also 4 years old and turning 5 in June.

He is desperately hoping for some boys to be added to the family.

Being so young, Rosa and Maddie both fell asleep a few hours ago, snuggled in their daddys' lap. Everyone has at least one child now; Michael and Sandy have Elijah, Amber and Jack have Maddie, and now it is Maria and Caleb's turn. They are having identical twins, although they don't know if they are having two girls or two boys.

"Mamma, Mamma," Elijah chatters. "How much longer til I'm seven years old, Mamma?"

Sandy smiles, content to let him stay up and wear himself out. She looks at her watch, noting that they only have a few minutes left until the new year. "You have ten more minutes, baby boy. Are you ready to be a big seven-year-old?"

"Yeah! I can't wait, Mamma! When are my cousins gonna get here?"

"I don't know, bud. It may be a while longer. Do you want to try maybe taking a little nap again? Are you tired yet?"

"No, Mamma," Elijah answers, bright-eyed. "I'm too 'cited to sleep!" Sandy smiles, knowing the feeling. Elijah plops down in-between his mom and dad, looking at the cool monster truck books he got for Christmas. He stays like this for exactly 9 minutes and 45 seconds, until Sandy taps him on the shoulder.

"Look here, baby boy. It's almost the New Years. You know what that means?"

"It's almost my birthday!" Elijah takes the watch and keeps an eye on the second hand as it goes round and round. When it completes two circles, and becomes 12:02 a.m., Sandy and Michael both give him a kiss.

"Happy Birthday, baby boy!" Sandy says.

"Yay! Mamma, I'm seven years old now!"

"You are! You're so big now. You're mamma's big boy."

"When are my cousins gonna get here?" Elijah asks again, switching his attention to his cousins instead of himself.

"I don't know, baby. It might be a while." Elijah just nods, and continues to keep watch as the second hand goes around. It make three circles, and Elijah counts the ticks 1…2…3…4…5… before his attention is diverted.

He gasps and runs over to his Uncle Caleb who has just walked through the double doors.

"Uncle Caleb! Did I get two boy cousins to play with? Did I, did I?"

Caleb bends down and shakes his head. "No, bud, I'm afraid not. You got two more girl cousins. You want to know their names?"

"Aw!" Elijah frowns at the thought having even __more__ girls in the family. First his sister, then cousin Maddie and now he's got two more. "Yeah, I guess."

"Well, the first baby, that's Kayleigh Mae Scott, she was born at 12:03, just 1 minute after you were born. Then, at 12:05, her twin, Rayleigh Nicole Scott was born."

"Well, at least now I get three birthday cakes, so I guess two more girls is okay." Elijah says, making the adults chuckle.

"Well, birthday boy, we better be getting home. Uncle Caleb, Aunt Maria and your cousins need some sleep and so do you and your sister. Say goodnight."

"Okay, Mamma! Goodnight, Uncle Caleb. Tell Auntie Maria goodnight, okay?"

"I will, buddy. Happy 7th birthday! I'll see you guys later during vising hours, all right?"

"Okay!" Elijah runs over to his mom. Michael stands, picking Rosaline up while Jack does the same with Maddie. Everyone congrats Caleb on the babies, says one last goodnight and 'happy birthday' to Elijah and then they off to bed to get some sleep for what is going to be a very long, very tiring day.

* * *

 ** **Present Day.****

"Wow!" Kayleigh breathes in amazement. "So you were happy about sharing your birthday with us, Cousin Eli?"

"Sure," Elijah shrugs. "I was happy about getting three birthday cakes." He puts his arms around each of them. "You should be happy too; you know why?"

"Why?" Ray-Ray asks.

"Because not only do __I__ get three birthday cakes, but you" he points to Kayleigh, "and __you__." now to Rayleigh. "get three cakes also."

The twins' eyes light up at this new information. "That __does__ sound __very__ good." Rayleigh says. She then turns to Maria and Caleb.

"Did you and Daddy really wait til we were born to see if we were gonna be girls or boys?"`

"Yes, ma'am, we did. And it was worth the wait because we got two beautiful baby girls."

The kids take turn asking a few more questions, before they are sent off to bed. Since it's their birthday, and the first day of the new year, the kids are allowed to stay in their rooms for 30 minutes more minutes, talking, playing with their toys, or watching a movie as long as they are quiet and get along with each other.

All in all, Kay and Ray-Ray's 8th birthday and Elijah 15th birthday turned out to be pretty good.

* * *

 **So! Here is the surprise chapter! I hope you enjoyed.**

 **Updated on: 5/4/2017. This story has come to an end. Thanks to everyone who has read it, and reviewed, favorited or followed! I look forward to continuing on for a while in Summer & School. :)**


	13. Special Thanks

**I know I said this was the end of this story, but I saw a fellow author do this and I wanted to start also. The following people are who reviewed, followed, and/or favorited this story. And honestly, if you guys did do this, this story would not have gotten very far.**

 **I was recently diagnosed with Autism, and on top of that I already have ADHD and ADD. I think that's a big part of why it takes me so long to write and update, and all of that. It takes me longer sometimes to be able to sit down and write something, check it over, put it up, etc. And you** **have all been very patient and come back to read this even when it takes me forever to update my stories.**

 ** **So! A HUGE thank you to the following people:****

 ** **Followers:****

102000QP

Brittz289

Hippiechic81

Kelmtb

Alexisjem

kpop1392as

 ** **Favoriters:****

102000QP

Brittz289

Caskett2013

Hippiechic81

Kelmtb

 ** **Reviewers:****

102000QP

Hippiechic81

Kensi1997

 **I will do this for all my future stories whenever I finish them. I may not be able to reviewers as some stories have _a lot_ , but I will try my best too!And a special shout-out to _Hippiechic81_. She reviewed constantly on every chapter. Thank you! :)**


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